NATIONAL NEWS

Portal for Purchasing and Registering Electric Autos – My EV

• The Delhi Government launched an online portal My EV (My Electric Vehcle) to the purchase and registration of electric autos in the city, Delhi.

• The government will also provide five per cent interest subvention on the purchase of e-autos on loans under the Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy.
• Delhi has now become the first state to provide such a facility.
• The portal was developed by Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL).
• The ‘My EV Portal’ will enable the Letter of Intent (LoI) holders to purchase e-autos and claim the incentives provided by the Delhi government.
• Under this partnership, CESL has empanelled six Financial Institutions (FIs) Mahindra Finance, Akasa Finance, Mannapuram Finance, RevFin and Prest Loans through an open and transparent process to provide loans to electric vehicles at attractive terms.

Land Records in Own Language

• On 14 March 2022, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Giriraj Singh released an e-book on Land Governance Reforms in New Delhi.

• During the meeting, he announced that the people of the country will be able to get their land records in their own language.

• The land records will be available in 22 languages.
• The Department of Land Resources will plan to roll out the multilingual software from next month.

Country’s First Digital Water Bank ‘AQVERIUM’

• The country’s first Digital Water Bank ‘AQVERIUM’ was launched in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

• It is formed by AquaKraft Group Ventures, focused on providing clean drinking water and sanitation.

• C.N.Ashwatha Narayana, Minister for IT/BT and Science and Technology announced it as a very unique innovation combining sustainable and green technologies along with information technology, skill development and entrepreneurship.
• Water security is the key for India to become a USD 5 trillion economy.

India Water Pitch-Pilot-Scale Startup Challenge

• Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri launched the ‘India Water Pitch-Pilot-Scale Startup Challenge’ under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0.

• The Ministry organised the event to encourage the solution providers to come up with various solutions to solve water problems in urban India.

• JanaJal, a company working to make safe drinking water available, accessible, and affordable to the common man in a sustainable manner, also participated and showcased its innovative solutions to mitigate problems related to water.
• At India Habitat Centre, MoHUA hosted the India Water Pitch-Pilot-Scale Startup Conclave for entrepreneurs, young innovators and industry partners.
• Ministry of HUA announced a startup challenge on the MyGov platform.

Mumbai to aim for carbon neutrality by 2050

• According to the report by Bloomberg, Mumbai has announced many measures in its Climate Action Plan (MCAP) to achieve carbon neutrality or net zero emissions by 2050.
• This makes it the first city in South Asia to set the target.
• India has committed to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2070.
• Mumbai’s target is 20 years ahead of India’s target.
• Target also include a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHC) emissions by 2030 and 44% reduction by 2040.
• The MCAP has been devised by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) as part of its commitment towards building a climate-resilient city.
• The plan has proposed some significant changes to the way Mumbai manages energy, water, air, waste, green spaces and transport for its 19 million residents.

India's first 'World Peace Center'

• Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti organisation established by Ambassador of Peace, Jainacharya Dr Lokeshji will establish India’s first World Peace Center in Gurugram, Haryana.

• The programs of Peace Education, prepared with the coordination of ancient knowledge and modern science, would be conducted for everyone such as students, teachers, youth, women, doctors, engineers, lawyers, traders, farmers etc.
• The land for the construction of the World Peace Centre (WPC) was allocated by the Haryana Government to the organization. It will be completed in two years.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India Sign Agreement with Sri Lanka

• India and Sri Lanka have signed an agreement for developing a 100-megawatt solar power plant in the island nation’s eastern port district of Trincomalee.
• It is constructed as part of the efforts to strengthen bilateral economic partnership.
• The Joint Venture and Shareholders’ Agreement (JVSHA) was joined for the Trincomalee Power Company Limited (TPCL) — a joint venture between National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Limited from India and the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) for developing the 100-megawatt solar power plant at Sampur, Trincomalee.
• India signed to offer USD 100 million Line of Credit to Sri Lanka for development of solar power projects.

BANKING

NSE Partners with IBJA

• The National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. (NSE) has tied up with the India Bullion and Jewelers Association Ltd. (IBJA) to start a domestic bullion spot exchange as per Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) guidelines.

• It is first time that a domestic bullion spot exchange is being set up under the aegis of SEBI.

• It will offer a platform to the industry players for conducting spot market bullion transactions and the joint initiative would also provide an opportunity to investors and consumers to directly participate on the exchange.
• The shareholders will include NSE, IBJA and industry participants like refiners, bullion dealers, jewelers, banks and overseas suppliers.

About NSE:

• HQ: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

• MD & CEO: Vikram Limaye.

EPFO Lowers Interest Rate

• The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) announced to decrease the interest on provident fund (PF) deposits for 2021-22 to 8.10%, the lowest in 44 years.

• This rate is 0.4% lower than the previous year.
• The interest rate of 8.10% has been declared based on EPFO estimated income for the year Rs. 76, 768 crore.
• EPFO interest rate stood at 8% in 1977-1978. Since then, it has been either 8.25 or more.
• The interest rate on PF deposits was 8.5% in 2020-2021.

SPORTS

Pole Vaulter Duplantis Sets World Record

• The American Swedish Pole Vaulter Armand Gustav Mondo Duplantis break his own pole Vault World record by clearing 6.19 meters at Belgrade Indoor Meeting 2022 in Belgrade, Serbia.
• At the Muller Indoor Grand Prix 2020 in Glasgow, Duplantis set the World Record by clearing 6.18 meters.
• He will return to the same Stark Arena in the Serbian capital for the world indoor championships starting on March 18.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

President of Chile

• 36-year-old leftist Gabriel Boric Font has been elected as the new and 36th President of Chile.

• He succeeds Sebastian Pinera.

• Boric became one of the leading figures of the 2011–2013 Chilean student protests.
• Boric is elected for the period between 2022-2026.
• He is the youngest leader to carry the office in Chile's history.

MD & CEO of Bajaj Allianz General Insurance

• Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, the second largest private sector general insurer, has extended the tenure of Tapan Singhel, by another five years who is the current managing director & chief executive officer (MD&CEO) of the company.

• It is effective from 01 April, 2022.
• Singhel has already completed 10 years as the MD & CEO of the company since 2012.
• He started his career as a direct officer in New India Assurance Company in 1991.
• Under Singhel, the company has achieved a cumulative underwriting profit of over Rs 350 crore.

India's New Ambassador to China

• Pradeep Kumar Rawat was appointed India's new ambassador to China.

• He succeeds Vikram Misri, who was appointed as Deputy National Security Advisor.

• Mr. Rawat, a 1990 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer and a fluent speaker of Mandarin.
• Prior to this, he was India's ambassador to the Netherlands.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Rotaract Day

• World Rotaract Day is celebrated every year on 13 March.

• It is celebrated to appreciate the services provided by the rotractors across the globe.

• The theme of this year 2022 is “Rotary Making a Difference”.
• Roctract means rotary in action.
• Rotary International youth program began in 1968 at North Carolina, USA.

International Mathematics Day

• International Day of Mathematics is celebrated every year on 14 March.

• It is celebrated worldwide to acknowledge and appreciate the wonders of mathematics.
• It aims to educate people about the essential role of mathematics in science and technology, day-to-day life, improve quality of life, empower women and girls, and contribute to sustainable development.
• The theme of this year 2022 is “Mathematics Unites”. The theme was proposed by the graduate student from the University of Ottawa in Canada, Yuliya Nesterova.
• The world celebrated its First International Day of Mathematics on March 14, 2020.
• It is also known as the Pi Day. The date March 14 is written as 3/14 in some countries.
• The value of mathematical constant, Pi, is approximately 3.14.

International Day of Action for Rivers

• International Day of Action for Rivers is observed every year on 14 March.

• It is celebrated to create awareness about the importance and value of revers.

• This year marks the celebration of the 25^th Anniversary of the day.
• It also highlights the importance of Rivers to Biodiversity.

OBITUARY

Five-time MLA Anil Joshiyara

• Anil Joshiyara, a senior Congress MLA from Bhiloda constituency in Sabarkantha district of Gujarat, passed away due to complications of Covid – 19.

• He was 69-year-old.

• Anil Joshiyara had served as state health minister from 1995 to 1997.
• He had served as Gujarat state congress committee chief from 1998 to 2000.