March 2024 Current Affairs MCQ Questions and Answers

RBL Bank and Innoviti Technologies Pvt. Ltd. have set up
a truly state-of-the-art omnichannel payments platform,
called Omnium, for progressive merchants. The platform
aims to unlock value lying hidden in a retailer’s data and
business processes, helping them grow faster and with
lesser efforts than possible otherwise.

The first oil mill under the National Mission for Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) was inaugurated in Arunachal Pradesh.

Fintech startup Paymart said that it has partnered with
five Indian banks to offer its innovative virtual, cardless,
and hardware-less cash withdrawal service. Paymart has
partnered with five prominent banks, including IDBI
Bank, Indian Bank, Jammu & Kashmir Bank, and Karur
Vyasa Bank, to roll out this service nationwide.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has conducted its weeklong financial awareness campaign from February 26 to
Match 1, 2024. This year’s theme is “Make a Right Start–
Become Financially Smart”, primarily targeting young
adults. One of the campaign’s highlights this year is the
“Financial Literacy Ideathon” contest, with a prize of up
to Rs 1 lakh for students.

The Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini embarked on an expedition from INS Mandovi, Goa to Port Louis, Mauritius, in a double-handed mode, undertaken by Indian women.

Infibeam Avenues has received final authorisation from
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a Payment
Aggregator under the Payment Settlements Act, 2007 for
its payment gateway brand – CCAvenue. In October
2022, Infibeam Avenues received “in-principle” approval
from the RBI to operate as a Payment Aggregator (PA).

The Centre of Gurumukhi Script was approved at Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College and Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College.

The United Kingdom became the first country to introduce a law requiring EV chargers in all new homes.

The Indian Navy commissioned its first fully indigenously-built destroyer, INS Visakhapatnam, under Project 15B.

The GDP growth for the current financial year could be
within striking distance of 8 per cent, a study by the State
Bank of India (SBI) said. It noted that defying all
estimates, the economy grew 8.4 per cent in the third
quarter of 2023-24 after exhibiting more than 8 per cent
growth in the preceding two quarters.

The National Payments Corporation of India’s (NPCI) has
granted approval of One97 Communications Limited
(OCL) to engage as a Third-Party Application Provider.
Under this arrangement, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, State
Bank of India, and YES Bank are designated as Payment
System Provider (PSP) banks to OCL.

Rajasthan launched the “Mukhyamantri Anuprati Coaching Yojana” to offer free coaching to underprivileged students.

The “Global Investment Report 2024” was launched by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

KUSUM stands for Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan.

The ‘Mission 3000 MT’ initiative aims to enhance freight traffic handled by Indian Railways.

The “Mera Pehla Vote Desh Ke Liye” campaign was launched by multiple ministries, including Youth Affairs and Sports, Education, and Information and Broadcasting.

The Ministry of Defence signed a contract with AWEIL to procure 1,512 indigenous Multi-Caliber Sniper Rifles for the Indian Army.

Uttarakhand announced the ‘Parvatmala Yojana’ to build ropeways in hilly areas.

Madhabi Puri Buch was appointed as the new Chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

Hungary’s parliament elected Constitutional Court chief
Tamas Sulyok as the country’s next president, after the
unexpected resignation of Katalin Novak. Novak, a close
ally of conservative Prime Minister Viktor Orban, resigned from the largely ceremonial role as president after she came under mounting pressure for pardoning a man convicted of helping to cover up sexual abuse in a children’s home.

‘Cicadas’ are insects belonging to the Cicadidae family,
recently in the news due to the discovery of a new
species called “Butterfly Cicadas” in Meghalaya. These
insects, ranging from 2 to 5 cm, are known for their loud
noises produced by males via vibrating membranes.
Cicadas have two pairs of wings, compound eyes, and
ocelli, and females typically lay eggs in woody plants.

Kerala has launched the first government-owned OTT
platform ‘CSpace’ with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan
describing it as a decisive step in the onward journey of
Malayalam Cinema. Inaugurating CSpace, managed by
the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC),
the Chief Minister said this is a pioneering initiative that
gives prominence to films with artistic and cultural value
without hurting the mainstream film industry.

Panama has officially joined the International Solar Alliance (ISA), making it as the 97th member nation. ISA was conceived as a joint effort by India and France. Currently, 116 countries are signatories to the ISA Framework Agreement.

The joint maritime exercise “Sea Defenders-2024” commenced between India and the USA off the coast of Port Blair.

The joint maritime exercise “Sea Defenders-2024” commenced between India and the USA.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mauritius Prime
Minister Pravind Jugnauth jointly inaugurated an airstrip
and a jetty in Agalega Island. Apart from the airstrip and
St James Jetty at Agalega Island, six other projects,
implemented with financial assistance from India, were
also inaugurated by both leaders virtually.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) launched the “Global Gender Gap Report 2024.”

The comprehensive maritime security exercise ‘Sea Defenders-2024’ between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and United States Coast Guard (USCG) successfully concluded at Port Blair on March 9. The exercise aimed at enhancing maritime cooperation and interoperability between the two forces, showcasing their expertise in various scenarios.

Fair trade regulator CCI said it has granted approval to
Ring Plus Aqua Ltd’s proposed acquisition of a 59.25 percent stake in Maini Precision Products Ltd. Maini Precision Products Ltd (MPPL) is engaged in the manufacturing of precision products for different industries and manufacturers.

India launched the “National Hydrogen Mission” to become a global leader in green hydrogen production.

India has experienced a significant decline of 16% in tuberculosis (TB) incidence from 2015 to 2022, surpassing the global decline rate of 9%. This achievement reflects the effectiveness of efforts undertaken as part of the National TB Elimination Programme.

Vishal Pandey is the author of the book “Israel War Diary.”

Tripura launched a first-of-its-kind ‘Floating Bamboo Market’ to promote bamboo-based products.

The ‘Santushti Portal’ was launched to monitor and resolve grievances related to the Employees’ State Insurance Scheme (ESIC).

BARC developed a compact, high-power laser system to study ultrafast phenomena.

 Maharashtra has the highest number of cooperative societies according to the “National Cooperative Database 2023.”

Global rating agency Moody’s has raised India’s growth
forecast for 2024 calendar year to 6.8 per cent from 6.1
per cent estimated earlier on the back of strong
economic data. Moody’s Investors Service said that
capital spending by the government and strong manufacturing activity have meaningfully contributed to
the robust growth outcomes in 2023.

Karnataka became the first Indian state to implement the ‘National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.’

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said it has imposed
penalties amounting to almost Rs 3 crore on State Bank
of India, Canara Bank, Ocean Capital Market Ltd and City
Union Bank for violation of regulatory norms. In a statement, the RBI said a penalty of Rs 2 crore has been imposed on the State Bank of India (SBI) for contravention of certain norms related to the Depositor Education Awareness Fund Scheme, 2014.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Sri Lankan Navy (SLN), and
Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has conducted
the 16th edition of ‘Dosti-16’, a biannual trilateral Coast
Guard exercise, from February 22-25, 2024 at Male,
Maldives. Bangladeshi observers also participated in the
trilateral joint exercise.

 PM Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s first under-river metro tunnel in Kolkata.

The OSAT facility by Tata Semiconductor Assembly and Test Pvt Ltd will be established in Morigaon, Assam.

Rekha Menon was appointed as the first woman chairperson of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).

The United States launched the first-ever ‘Global Climate Change Fund’ to support climate action in developing countries.

 The Criminal Case Management System (CCMS) was developed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) and Punjab National Bank (PNB) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at advancing renewable energy initiatives across the nation. The agreement, signed at IREDA’s registered office in New Delhi, paves the way for joint efforts in colending and loan syndication for a diverse spectrum of renewable energy projects.

Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) handed a dividend cheque of Rs 2,441.44 crore to the Finance Minister of India, Nirmala Sitharaman. The cheque was presented by the Chairperson of LIC, Siddharth Mohanty.

Odisha launched the “CM’s Air Ambulance Scheme” to provide emergency medical assistance.

The first-ever “Global Cervical Cancer Elimination Forum” was held in Colombia.

Madhya Pradesh launched the “Mukhyamantri Vridhjan Pension Yojana” to provide financial support to senior citizens.

 Rajasthan launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Anuprati Coaching Yojana’ to provide free coaching to underprivileged students.

The European Union launched the ‘Global Methane Pledge’ to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030.

Union Minister of Education and Skill Development &
Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan, inaugurated
the first Skill India Centre (SIC) of the country in
Sambalpur, Odisha. The centre aims to provide quality
education and skills training, empower the youth, and
create a competent workforce for the 21st century.
Similar centres will be inaugurated in other locations in
Odisha.

 Karnataka became the first Indian state to introduce “Gender Budgeting” in the state budget.

The “World Energy Outlook 2024” was released by the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) launched the “Matsya Sampada Yojana” to enhance fish production and create employment opportunities in the fisheries sector.

The Indian Railways has revealed that the Railway Protection Force (RPF) boasts the highest proportion of female personnel, standing at 9%, surpassing other Central Paramilitary Forces in India. The RPF has implemented several initiatives to empower women and address the needs of women personnel while performing their duties.

The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) conducted successful flight tests of the Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) missile.

Merchant-led digital payments provider Mswipe
Technologies said it has been granted a payment
aggregator (PA) licence by the Reserve Bank of India. The
company had received an in-principle nod from the
central bank to operate as a payment aggregator in
August 2022.

The National Health Authority (NHA) is responsible for implementing the ‘Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).’

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the
appointment of S Ravindran as the part-time chairman of
Tuticorin-based Tamilnad Mercantile Bank (TMB). The
approval is subject to Ravindran, stepping down from his
directorships in Shriram Finance and Bandhan AMC, before assuming charge as the part-time chairman of the
bank.

The National Highways Authority of India has entered into a five-year agreement with HLL Lifecare to strengthen its incident management systems and assist accident victims on the national highways, a move aimed at reducing the number of fatalities from road accidents on highways.

The “Global Forest Resources Assessment 2024” was launched by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal
Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry in
collaboration with the World Bank Group organised a
National Workshop on Logistics Efficiency Enhancement,
on February 27, 2024, in New Delhi that brought
together the logistics sector community to brainstorm
and identify factors affecting logistics performance and
areas of improvement.

INS Jatayu was commissioned by Admiral R Hari Kumar,
the Chief of Naval Staff at Minicoy, the southernmost
island in Lakshadweep, strengthening the Indian Navy’s
foothold and extending operational reach in the region
needed, with China increasingly exercising influence over
Maldives.

The ‘World Investment Report 2024’ was launched by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

INS Tir, the lead ship of First Training Squadron (1TS)
participated in Exercise Cutlass Express – 24 (CE – 24) held
at Port Victoria, Seychelles from 26 Feb – 08 Mar 24. The
exercise was inaugurated by the President of Seychelles in attendance of dignitaries from India, USA and African
countries.

The United Kingdom became the first country to introduce a law requiring EV chargers in all new homes.

Union Minister of Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh
has inaugurated the first-of-its-kind “National Speed
Breeding Crop Facility” at the premier National Agri-Food
Biotechnology Institute (NABI) in Mohali. Singh said,
“Biotechnology speedy seeds facility will cater to all the
states of India but it will especially be useful for the north
Indian states like Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and
the UT of J&K”.

Mundkur Shyamprasad Kamath took charge as the
Managing Director (MD) of Mangalore Refinery and
Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL). A media statement said
Kamath has a professional career spanning over 30 years
in the downstream hydrocarbon industry.

T-Hub in Hyderabad partnered with the Department of Science and Technology (DST) to set up a Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Technology Hub (MATH).

The RBI signed a Currency Swap Agreement with Maldives for up to $400 million under the SAARC Currency Swap Framework.

The IPEF partners announced an initial grant funding of $33 million for the IPEF Catalytic Capital Fund.

The National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) launched the ‘Matsya Sampada Yojana’ to enhance fish production and create employment opportunities in the fisheries sector.

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty clinched the
French Open 2024 badminton men’s doubles title with a
win over Chinese Taipei’s Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang PoHsuan in the final. This was the first title of the 2024 badminton season for Chirag-Satwik and the duo’s second French Open title. The Indian pair won the French Open in 2022 and were runners-up in 2019.

The Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme 2024 has a total outlay of Rs. 500 crore.

The World Bank approved a loan of USD 250 million to India for the ‘Resilient Kerala Program.’

The International Energy Agency (IEA) released the “Global Methane Tracker 2024” report.

Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month, observed annually
in March, aims to raise awareness about multiple
myeloma, a rare type of blood cancer that affects the
bones and other parts of the body. The initiative aims to
educate the public about the symptoms, risk factors, and
treatment options for this disease.

The Central Economic Intelligence Bureau (CEIB) has
launched an “Automated Search Portal” to help public
sector banks (PSBs) with antecedent verification of
prospective borrowers and non-performing assets
(NPAs). The portal, which has been developed by the
Bureau in collaboration with the State Bank of India (SBI),
will help PSBs obtain mandatory intelligence clearance
from CEIB in a prompt manner, which in turn will
facilitate timely disbursement of funds.

Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) at just
concluded Mobile World Congress 2024 at Barcelona in Spain, announced plans to collaborate with Qualcomm Technologies Inc, a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, to establish a strategic partnership that will foster innovation in India and support India based developers and start-ups working on innovative products and use cases.

 Rekha Sharma was appointed as the Chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW).

The T 0 trading settlement cycle introduced by BSE and
NSE facilitates same-day settlement of trades in the equity segment. This means that investors can now execute and settle trades on the same day, potentially increasing liquidity and efficiency in the market.

Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) said it
entered into a contract valued at Rs 847.7 crore with
Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) for the supply of 14
cutting-edge communication and electronic warfare
(EW) sensors and systems for the Navy.

Bihar introduced the ‘Mukhyamantri Old Age Pension Scheme’ to provide financial support to senior citizens.

Japan launched the world’s first dual-mode vehicle (DMV) that can operate on both roads and rail tracks.

Rating agency Fitch has revised India’s FY25 growth
forecast upward to 7% from the 6.5% projected earlier.
The rating agency also expects the RBI to go for a 50 bps
rate cut from July to September, adding that it sees the
country’s CPI declining by 4% by end of 2024.

Ministry of Home Affairs has notified that ‘Hyderabad
Liberation Day’ will be marked every year on 17th
September. In an official notification, the Ministry has
said that the decision has been taken in order to
remember martyrs who liberated Hyderabad and to
infuse the flame of patriotism in the minds of the youth.

The Maharashtra government has become the owner of iconic Air India building, Mumbai of AI Assets Holding Company Ltd (AIAHL) with the Union government approving transfer of the asset. The Maharashtra government bought the Air India building at Nariman Point in Mumbai for Rs 1,601 crore.

The Ministry of Defence has signed a Rs 200 crore contract for anti-drone systems for the Indian Army and Indian Air Force (IAF) with Big Bang Boom Solutions Private Limited (BBBS). This is the largest contract signed by the MoD under the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative, according to the company.

The Maharashtra state cabinet approved the renaming of Ahmednagar as “Ahilyanagar.”

Raghu Vamsi Machine Tools Private Limited launched its fully indigenous Micro Turbojet Engine “INDRA RV25: 240N.”

On February 26, 2024, India’s third aircraft museum,
showcasing the Indian Navy (IN)’s decommissioned TU142M aircraft, was launched at Kakinada Beach Park in Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari district. Geetha Viswanath Vanga, Member of Parliament (MP) of the Lok Sabha (Kakinada, AP), opened the aviation museum.

HSBC Group posted a 25 per cent increase in profit from
India operations to $1.5 billion for the financial year
ended December 2023. The bank, which follows the
calendar year as its fiscal, had earned a profit of $1.2
billion in 2022, HSBC said in its annual report for 2023.

France became the first country to introduce a law banning the use of plastic in packaging.

Hyderabad hosted the “National Women’s Parliament 2024.”

“Project ODISERV” was launched by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) in collaboration with Bajaj Finserv Limited.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) launched the “Global Gender Gap Report 2024.”

Hyderabad hosted the ‘National Women’s Parliament 2024.’

Skyroot Aerospace successfully test-fired the ‘Kalam-250’
at ISRO’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre. This rocket motor,
part of the second stage of the Vikram-1 space launch vehicle, features a carbon composite structure, EPDM thermal protection, and precision thrust vector control. Developed by Skyroot Aerospace, it plays a crucial role in propelling the launch vehicle from the atmosphere into outer space.

The National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) was launched to strengthen healthcare infrastructure in urban areas.

India finished the Archery Asia Cup 2024 with 14 medals,
including nine golds, four silvers and one bronze in Baghdad, Iraq. India swept the top podiums in all the individual events, clinching top positions in both the men’s and women’s compound events.

The enrollment of farmers under the Pradhan Mantri
Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) has crossed a record 40
million in 2023-24, an increase of 27% from the 31.5
million enrolled in FY23, an agriculture ministry official
said. The official said that 42% of farmers who would
enroll under the crop insurance are those who had not
availed loans from the banks.

The National Institute of One Health will be located in Nagpur.

Madhya Pradesh launched the “Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Yojana” to provide financial support to women.

Gross GST collection in February 2024 jumped 12.5 per
cent year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 1.68 lakh crore. GST
revenue net of refunds for February 2024 stood at Rs
1.51 lakh crore, which is a 13.6 per cent growth over that
for the same period last year.

Riken Yamamoto won the 2024 Pritzker Architecture Prize.

Saurabh Garg recently took charge as the CEO of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)

The Ministry of Women and Child Development is organizing Poshan Pakhwada, a 15-day national celebration that raises awareness about nutrition, dietary practices, and women’s health from 09 March till 23 March, 2024. So far, through 5 Poshan Pakhwada and 6 Poshan Maah, more than 90 crore sensitization activities have been reported by the States/ UTs, and partner Ministries/ Departments.

Morgan Stanley Research said that it expects India’s GDP
growth for FY25 to moderate to 6.5 per cent from 6.9 per
cent projected for FY24. ICRA, meanwhile, has projected
the year-on-year (Y-o-Y) GDP growth to moderate
sequentially to 6 per cent in Q3 FY24 from 7.6 per cent,
led by agriculture and industry sectors.

Shankaracharya Hill is located in Srinagar.

The High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections was chaired by Ram Nath Kovind.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has announced the formation of an expert committee to review the implementation of Ayushman BharatPradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). The 16- member committee, chaired by Dr. VK Paul, Member (Health) at NITI Aayog, will oversee the progress of ABPMJAY in terms of beneficiary identification,hospitalisation, and modes of implementation.

P.D. Vaghela was appointed as the new Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

Reliance Industries and Reliance Foundation has
unveiled Vantara, an initiative for animal welfare in
Gujarat. This project focuses on the rescue, treatment,
and rehabilitation of injured and abused animals across
India and abroad.

REC Power Development and Consultancy Limited
(RECPDCL), a wholly owned subsidiary of REC Limited,
has signed an MoU with Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited
(BHEL), for joint development of utility scale Renewable
Energy Projects across the country. The MoU thus aims
to contribute to the clean energy targets of the nation,
through a dedicated Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).

New Delhi hosted the ‘National Street Food Festival 2024.’

 Ranveer Allahbadia, also known as BeerBiceps, won the “Disruptor of the Year award” at the first-ever National Creators Awards 2024.

France introduced the world’s first ‘Dark Sky Reserve’ to protect its dark skies from light pollution.

With Sweden’s inclusion, NATO will have a total of 32 members.

Retired IAS officers Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh
Sandhu were appointed as new Election Commissioners.
Their appointment fills the vacancies created by the
retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey in February and the
surprise resignation of Arun Goel in march.

Himachal Pradesh inaugurated its first “Mushroom ATM” to promote mushroom cultivation.

Chhattisgarh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Vriksha Sampada Yojana’ to increase green cover by planting trees on non-forest land.

The bronze statue of Lachit Borphukan named ‘Statue of Valour’ in Jorhat, Assam, is 125 Feet tall.

Small Industries Development Bank of India (Sidbi) has
received $24.5 million from Green Climate Fund (GCF) for
its maiden anchored project `Avaana Sustainability Fund
(ASF)’ valued at $120 million. GCF, a pivotal component of the historic Paris Agreement, is the world’s largest
climate fund.

Microsoft India, iCreate, and the Ministry of Electronics
and Information Technology (MeitY) have announced
the launch of a joint artificial intelligence innovation
programme ‘Impel-AI’. The Impel-AI programme will
select and scale 100 startups across India to build with
Azure OpenAI, and the top 25 will receive go-to-market
support from Microsoft’s Global Network to develop
advanced products.

China launched the first-ever “Artificial Sun” to explore nuclear fusion technology.

Rajasthan launched the “CM’s Gramin Bicycle Scheme” to promote cycling in rural areas.

Ms. Sheetal Devi, a distinguished Para-archer, and Arjuna
Awardee has been announced as the National Icon in the
PwD category. The Election Commission of India remains
confident that such initiatives will significantly enhance voter participation, particularly among youth and persons with disabilities, in the upcoming general elections.

Malala Yousafzai was conferred with the Honorary Doctorate in Education by Edge Hill University.

The services sector Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI)
moderated to 60.6 in February, down from 61.8 in
January, according to the seasonally adjusted HSBC India
Services Business Activity Index. The moderation in
growth comes on the back of softer expansions in
business activity, sales and jobs.

The ministry of heavy industries (MHI) and the Indian
Institute of Technology, Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) have
signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to foster
innovation in the automotive and electric vehicle (EV)
sector, with a combined investment of ₹24.6645 crore.

India’s first undersea metro tunnel is being constructed in Kolkata.

MWC, also known as Mobile World Congress was held
from February 26 to February 29, 2024 at the Fira Gran
Via in Barcelona, Spain. It serves as a platform where
companies unveil their latest products and
advancements.

Fintech-focussed software-as-a-service firm Perfios said
it has secured $80 million in funding from Teachers’
Venture Growth (TVG), a late-stage venture and growth
investment arm of Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. With
the fresh investment, the company’s new valuation will
cross the $1 billion mark, said sources, which makes
Perfios the second unicorn of 2024.

National Safety Day in India is observed every year on
March 4. This day focuses on making safety and
precautionary measures a top priority of any sector.
Every year, National Safety Day is observed to highlight
safety measures and explore ways to make the office a
safer place for people.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the Kalki Dham Temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district. He was invited to the event by Acharya Pramod Krishnam, who was expelled from the Congress for a period of six years for his anti-party remarks.

El Salvador became the first country to recognize Bitcoin as legal tender.

Indian shuttlers bagged 18 medals, including three gold,
four silver and 11 bronze, at the BWF Para Badminton
World Championships 2024, which was held in Pattaya,
Thailand. Tokyo 2020 Paralympics silver medallist Suhas
Yathiraj headlined the event for India, winning gold in the
men’s singles SL 4 category by beating Indonesia’s Fredy
Setiawan 21-18, 21-8.

The Ministry of Ayush and Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi. The Ministry said that the MoU will bring forth the overview of Ayush Service sector and will serve the continuation of academic cooperation and collaboration with RIS, which is a Policy Research autonomous institute of Ministry of External Affairs.

The ‘Global Forest Resources Assessment 2024’ was launched by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The Reserve Bank of India has reconstituted the threemember Committee of Advisors of Abhyudaya Cooperative Bank Ltd, inducting Devendra Kumar (former Chief General Manager, State Bank of India) in place of Mahendra Chhajed (Chartered Accountant),who resigned.

1. A. Ganapathy was appointed as the Director General of the National Security Guard (NSG).

To provide nutritional help to adolescent girls suffering
from anaemia, the women and child development (WCD)
ministry as well as the ministry of AYUSH has announced
that they will be providing interventions such as ayurveda, yoga and nutritional help of natural foods in five districts where the nutritional parameter are low.

The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on March 15, for
Mid Life Upgrade (MLU) of 25 Dornier Aircraft along with
associated equipment for the Indian Navy at a cost of Rs
2,890 crore.

India joined an elite club of nations on March 11 with the
first successful flight test of an Agni-5 ballistic missile
armed with multiple independently targetable re-entry
vehicles (MIRVs). Named Mission Divyastra, the flight
test of India’s MIRV technology was carried out by the
Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO) from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Swasthya Yojana’ to provide free healthcare services to all residents.

The total outlay under the national-level IndiaAI mission is Rs. 10,371.92 crore.

The Rajasthan government issued a notification to classify “orans”, “Dev-vans”, and “Rundhs” as deemed forests.

India’s GDP is expected to grow by 6.5 percent in 2024-
25, according to India Ratings and Research. For 2024-25
as a whole, India Ratings’ forecast for headline retail
inflation is 4.8 percent, 30 basis points higher than the
Indian central bank’s projection of 4.5 percent.

The first-ever ‘Global Youth Forum’ was held in Geneva.

The National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) aims to create digital health records for every citizen.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Smart Gram Yojana’ to develop model villages.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has inaugurated India’s first
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) powered bus, which will be
operated by Maharashtra State Road Transport
Corporation. MSRTC, which ferries around 60 lakh
passengers every day, will set up LNG distribution
facilities at 90 depots across the state.

State-run power giant, NTPC said it has signed a land
lease agreement with Andhra Pradesh Industrial
Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) for development of an
integrated green hydrogen hub on 1,200 acres of land
near Pudimadaka village of Atchutapuram Mandal,
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

“Mushk Budiji” is an indigenous variety of rice recently in
the news for its unique aroma. Studies have been
conducted to understand the characteristics of this
variety, contributing to agricultural research and
development efforts.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved
the merger of a financial technology company,
Garagepreneurs Internet Private Limited (GIPL) with the
North East Small Finance Bank. GIPL operates under the
brand name “slice” and focuses on facilitating payments
and credit products through digital means in India.

Assert AI announced the launch of Pratham, a
groundbreaking platform that is patented for its
innovative approach to democratizing computer vision
and artificial intelligence. With Pratham, users can
unlock the potential of Vision AI technology without the
need for coding or AI expertise, marking a significant
milestone in the field of computer vision technology.

Tata Motors signed an MoU with Tamil Nadu to invest ₹9,000 crore in a vehicle manufacturing facility.

On March 10, 2024, India and the European Free Trade
Association (EFTA) signed a Trade and Economic
Partnership Agreement (TEPA) that commits an
investment of USD 100 billion over 15 years. The TEPA
commits EFTA to promoting investments in order to
boost India’s stock of foreign direct investments (FDI).

Credit growth in India is expected to moderate to 14 per
cent in FY25 from the existing 16 per cent as deposit
growth is unable to keep pace with loans, S&P Global
Ratings said in a report. As per the report, system-level
credit growth to moderate to 14 per cent in 2024-25
from about 16 per cent year-on-year growth in the first
three quarters of FY24.

Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority
(IEPFA) and Singapore-headquartered DBS Bank signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to spread
awareness on investment and fraudulent schemes.
Under the MoU, DBS Bank aims to support IEPFA’s
investor awareness activities by disseminating safety
messages via its various digital platforms.

RBI signed an MoU with Bank Indonesia to promote the use of local currencies for bilateral transactions.

The United States became the first country to launch a satellite using a reusable rocket booster.

 India hosted the 9th International Yoga Day celebrations with the theme ‘Yoga for Humanity.’

Rekha Sharma was appointed as the Chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW).

The Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Big Bang Boom Solutions for the anti-drone system “Vajra Sentinel System.”

 Karnataka became the first Indian state to implement “gender budgeting” in its state budget.

L&T Finance Holdings Ltd (LTFH) has signed a financing
pact with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
for $125 million to support financing in rural and periurban areas in India, particularly women borrowers. At least 40 per cent of the proceeds will be allocated for women borrowers, while the rest will be allocated to support farmers, MSMEs, as well as loans to purchase new two-wheeler vehicles including electric twowheelers.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has launched the
‘Asha Kirana – Eye Care at Your Doorstep’ scheme to
provide eye care accessibility for families across
Karnataka free of cost. Under the Asha Kirana program,
comprehensive eye care services, including doorstep eye
check-ups, diagnosis, and treatment including
distribution of spectacles, and cataracts surgeries will be
provided to families free of cost.

The priority corridor from Taj East Gate to Mankameshwar in the first phase of the Agra Metro is 6 Km long.

India has signed a 181 million dollars loan with the Asian
Development Bank (ADB) to improve urban livability and
mobility in Ahmedabad. The loan will fund development
in areas transitioning from rural to urban, called Periurban areas.

Xiaomi, a Chinese consumer tech giant, has ventured into
the electric vehicle market with the launch of its first electric vehicle, the SU7. This move marks Xiaomi’s entry into the competitive electric vehicle sector in China.

The President of India appointed Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu as new Election Commissioners.

The first-ever “Global cervical cancer elimination forum” was held in Colombia.

The coal industry registered a growth rate of 10.2% in
January 2024, the highest among the eight core sectors,
according to the index of eight core industries (ICI) data
released by the ministry of commerce & industries. With
a base year of 2011-12, the ICI for coal reached 218.9
points in January, up from 198.6 points during the same
month in the previous year.

Ravneet Kaur was appointed as the Chairperson of the Competition Commission of India (CCI).

The ‘Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2023’ focus on banning single-use plastics, implementing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and promoting the recycling of plastic waste.

TV Somanathan is heading the expert committee on uniform Know Your Customer (KYC) rules.

 The PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana was approved with a total outlay of Rs 75,021 crore.

With better performance in both manufacturing and
services, the HSBC Composite Purchasing Managers’
Index (PMI) rose to a seven-month high of 61.5 in
February, up from 61.2 in January. The flash PMI is
prepared by S&P Global from responses to
questionnaires sent to survey panels of around 400
manufacturers and 400 service providers. The panels are
stratified by detailed sector and c

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched
CoViNet, a global network of laboratories specializing in
human, animal, and environmental coronavirus
surveillance. This initiative aims to detect and monitor
emerging coronaviruses, including potential novel
strains, to enhance risk assessment and inform WHO
policies, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched the National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming (NAP-SE).

The establishment of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) was approved with a budget of Rs 150 crore.

The US Consulate, in collaboration with the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA), launched the first-ever US-India Cyber Security Initiative to strengthen IT connections between the two countries. The initiative will lead the Pune into a mentorship model in cyberspace and will also foster people-to-people ties in cyberspace.

Tamil Nadu government recently launched the ‘Neengal Nalama’ scheme to ensure the well-being of its citizens.

Panama recently became the 97th member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA).

IndusInd Bank on March 11 announced the launch of its
contactless payments wearable ‘Indus PayWear’, touted
to be India’s first all-in-one tokenizable wearable for both
debit and credit cards. The offering will be exclusively
available for Mastercard holders now, but will soon be
extended to other card networks as well, the private
sector lender said.

 The first-ever ‘National Investigative Workshop 2024’ by the NIA was held in New Delhi.

Bharti Enterprises founder and chairman, Sunil Bharti
Mittal has become the first Indian citizen to receive an
Honorary Knighthood from United Kingdom’s King Charles III. The award grants Mr. Mittal the title of Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, recognising his contributions to fostering stronger business ties between India and the UK.

The government has increased the authorised capital of
state-run Food Corporation of India (FCI) from Rs 10,000
crore to Rs 21,000 crore to enhance the operational
capabilities and fulfill its mandate effectively, the Food
Ministry said. The increase in the authorised capital will
reduce the interest burden, decrease the economic cost
and ultimately affecting the government subsidy
positively.

Two-time Paralympics gold medallist Devendra Jhajharia
was elected unopposed as the Paralympic Committee of
India (PCI) president, succeeding another celebrated
para-athlete Deepa Malik. The 42-year-old javelin
thrower, who had won a gold medal each in the 2004
Athens and 2016 Rio Paralympics in the F46 disability
category, was the only candidate in the fray for the top post.

The finance ministry’s Financial Intelligence Unit-India
(FIU-IND) has imposed a fine of Rs 5.49 crore on Paytm
Payments Bank for “violating its obligations” under the
Prevention of Money Laundering Act. On January 31, the
RBI directed Paytm Payments Bank to stop accepting
deposits or top-ups in any customer accounts, wallets,
FASTags, and other instruments after February 29.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Yojana’ to support youth entrepreneurship.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Divyang Pension Yojana’ to provide financial assistance to disabled persons.

Bihar launched the ‘Har Ghar Nal Se Jal’ mission to provide tap water connections to every rural household by 2024.

State-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB) has announced
a partnership with online travel tech platform EaseMyTrip to launch a co-branded credit card. This power-packed co-branded travel credit card is aimed at mass to premium customer segments and has been meticulously designed to offer a variety of rewards for Indian travellers, a joint statement said.

 The dataset of the ‘10,000 Genomes Project’ will be stored at the Indian Biological Data Centre (IBDC) in Faridabad.

The Indian economy grew 8.4 per cent during the October-December quarter of the current financial year 2023-24 (Q3FY24), remaining the fastest-growing major economy in the world, according to gross domestic product (GDP) data released by the Statistics Ministry on February 29.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said it has approved
a USD 23 million loan to enhance access to quality fintech
education, research, and innovation at the Gujarat
International Finance Tec-City (GIFT) in India. GIFT is a
state-owned enterprise established to promote and
cultivate fintech ecosystems and financial services in
India.

Malta became the 119th country to join the International
Solar Alliance (ISA), the Ministry of External Affairs said.
The ISA is an alliance of more than 120 signatory
countries that aims to reduce the dependence on nonrenewable sources of energy like fossil fuels.

Union Minister for Communications Ashwini Vaishnaw
has launched ‘Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP)’ of the
Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for coordination among the stakeholders to curb misuse of telecom resources in cyber-crime and financial frauds, and ‘Chakshu’ facility on Sanchar Saathi portal, a pioneering initiative empowering citizens to proactively report suspected fraud communication.

Riken Yamamoto, a Japanese architect, was recently
named the winner of the renowned 2024 Pritzker
Architecture Prize, sometimes known as the “Architecture Nobel”. This is the most prestigious international prize in the field. Yamamoto is Japan’s eighth laureate.

In February 2024 the Asian Development Bank (ADB)
priced a $3.5 billion 5-year global bond, proceeds of
which will become part of ADB’s ordinary capital resources. The largest orderbook was achieved in 2021
for a $5 billion global benchmark bond.

Madhya Pradesh launched the “Mukhyamantri Vidya Niketan Yojana” to provide quality education to students from economically weaker sections.

P.D. Vaghela was appointed as the new Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

Sweden has formally joined NATO as the 32nd member
of the transatlantic military alliance, ending decades of
post-World War II neutrality and centuries of broader
non-alignment with major powers as security concerns in
Europe have spiked following Russia’s 2022 invasion of
Ukraine.

Haryana launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Krishi Ayushman Yojana’ to provide health insurance to farmers.

DST partnered with T-Hub to set up the Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Technology Hub (MATH) in Hyderabad.

The “Sankalp Se Siddhi” initiative was launched by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to promote mass entrepreneurship among women.

The United Kingdom became the first country to approve the COVID-19 pill Molnupiravir for public use.

Bhakti Sharma became the first Indian woman to cross the English Channel solo.

The indelible ink was developed by CSIR-National Physical Laboratory of India, Delhi.

Madhya Pradesh announced the launch of the ‘Mukhyamantri Ration Aapke Dwar Yojana’ to deliver ration directly to beneficiaries’ doorsteps.

Madhya Pradesh has the largest population of leopards according to the “Status of Leopards in India 2022” report.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Vidya Niketan Yojana’ to provide quality education to students from economically weaker sections.

Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) signed a tripartite MoU with Prasar Bharati and Open Network for Digital Commerce to proliferate affordable and accessible digital services across the country. The objective of the MoU is to bundle broadband services with OTT and e-commerce platform for the rural India riding on BharatNet infrastructure under the USOF.

The report ‘State of World Population 2024’ was released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Traces of tantalum, a rare metal crucial in electronics,
were discovered in the Sutlej river by researchers from
the Indian Institute of Technology, Punjab. Tantalum is
essential for capacitors and resistors in devices like
smartphones and laptops. This discovery hints at untapped mineral wealth beneath the riverbed, sparking interest in further exploration to assess the extent of the deposits.

President Droupadi Murmu on March 8 presented the
President’s Standard’s to 45 Squadron and 221 Squadron
and President’s Colours to 11 Base Repair Depot (BRD)
and 509 Signal Unit (SU) of the Indian Air Force (IAF). This
is the first time in the history of the service that four units
have been awarded the President’s Standard and
Colours together in a single ceremony.

Kerala declared man-animal conflict as a ‘state-specific disaster.’

The ‘Global Wage Report 2024’ was released by the International Labour Organization (ILO)

India’s economic growth is likely to slow to 6.5 per cent
in 2024-25 from the projected expansion of 7.3 per cent
in the current financial year dragged by slowdown in
industrial sector growth amid muted consumption
demand, India Ratings & Research (Ind-Ra) said.

Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora became the first Sikh community member to take oath as a minister in Punjab province, Pakistan.

The semiconductor fab will be established in Dholera, Gujarat, by Tata Electronics Private Limited in partnership with Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp (PSMC), Taiwan.

The “PM-PRANAM” scheme promotes the use of organic fertilizers.

India-born media executive Dr Samir Shah was confirmed
as the new BBC chairman. Mr Shah, who has worked in
UK broadcasting for over 40 years, was picked as the
government’s preferred candidate in December last year
and went on to be quizzed by cross-party MPs of the
House of Commons Media Culture, Media and Sport
Select Committee for his pre-appointment scrutiny.

The United States became the first country to launch a satellite using a reusable rocket booster.

 India launched the “National Hydrogen Mission” to become a global leader in the production of green hydrogen.

Under the ‘Soil Health Card Scheme,’ soil health cards are issued to farmers every two years.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Solar Pump Yojana’ to provide solar pumps to farmers.

1. Vidyavathi was appointed as the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

The Indian economy is set to witness significant growth,
with projections indicating a GDP expansion of 6.8 per
cent in the next fiscal year. This growth trajectory
positions India to attain upper middle-income status by
2031, with the economy expected to double to USD 7
trillion, said ratings agency Crisil.

‘Mission AMRIT’ stands for Accelerated Mission for Research and Innovation in Technology.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved
acquisition of stake in Asian Institute of Nephrology and
Urology Private Limited by TPG Growth V SF Markets Pte.
Ltd. and Waverly Pte. Ltd. through Asia Healthcare
Holdings Pte. Ltd.

The ‘PM-PRANAM’ scheme promotes the use of organic fertilizers.