Top GKToday’s News Headlines-5 March 2020

LALIT KALA AKADEMI AWARDS

PHASE– II of SBM(G)

• Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launches Phase II of Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) [SBM (G)] in Delhi
• It will focus on sustaining the gains made under the programme in last five years in terms of toilet access and usage.
• It will ensure that effective solid and liquid waste management (SLWM) is instituted in every Gram Panchayat

INDIA

• Lalit Kala Akademi organising 61st National Exhibition of Art (March 4-22) and National Kala Mela (March 4-9) in New Delhi; inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (IC) Prahlad Singh Patel
• Indian Army’s Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS) organising “PRAGYAN CONCLAVE 2020” in New Delhi on March 4-5
• QS World Ranking for engineering colleges: 5 from India in top-100 — IIT Bombay (44), IIT Delhi (47), IIT Kharagpur (86), IIT Madras (88) and IIT Kanpur (96)
• QS World Ranking for arts and humanities: JNU at 162nd, Delhi University at 231st
• Dr Shweta Rawat of Delhi-based Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS) develops Full Body Protector (प्रबला) for safety of female troops on riot control duties
• IIT Delhi’s Dr. Shalini Gupta develops Septiflo technology for fast and affordable diagnosis and treatment of bacterial septicaemia
• Kerala govt. issues order capping the retail price of bottled drinking water at Rs 13 per litre
• Meghalaya CM Conrad K. Sangma lays foundation stone for an integrated sports complex in Tura district named after ex-CM late PA Sangma

10 PSBs TO MERGE INTO 4

• The government on March 4, 2020 approved a scheme for the amalgamation of 10 state-owned banks into four.
• Effective from April 1, 2020, the balance sheets as well as stocks of these banks will be integrated.
• Punjab National Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, and United Bank of India will combine to form India’s 2nd-largest bank.
• Canara Bank will take over Syndicate Bank
• Union Bank of India will be amalgamated with Andhra Bank and Corporation Bank
• Indian Bank will subsume Allahabad Bank
• After the process is complete, India will have 12 PSBs

ECONOMY & CORPORATE

• Union Cabinet approves amendments in the Companies Act, 2013; Both listed and unlisted Indian companies allowed to list their shares on overseas stock exchanges
• The Direct Tax Vivaad Se Vishwas Bill 2020 passed by Lok Sabha; taxpayers can settle disputes by paying just due taxes with complete waiver of interest and penalty by March 31
• Govt. to amend FDI policy on civil aviation allowing NRIs to acquire 100% equity stake in Air India from 49% earlier
• SC stays RBI’s April 2018 circular asking banks and FIs to stay away from dealing in crypto currencies, including Bitcoin
• Chief Economic Adviser K V Subramanian delivers 7th Dr Raja J Chelliah Memorial Lecture on Ethical Wealth Creation in Chennai
• FICCI organising India Pharma 2020 & India Medical Device 2020 Conference & Exhibition at Gandhinagar on March 5-7
• National Safety Day observed by National Safety Council of India on March 4; National Safety Week from March 4
• AP govt. to permit GMR Group to develop Bhogapuram International Airport near Visakhapatnam

WORLD

• World Bank President David Malpass unveils USD 12 billion aid package to help countries combat coronavirus outbreak
• UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore unveils report ‘A New Era for Girls: Taking stock on 25 years of progress’
• Draft EU law mandates member nations to achieve “climate neutrality” — net zero greenhouse emissions — by 2050

SPORTS

• BCCI appoints former India spinner Sunil Joshi as Chairman of the national selection panel

Month: Current Affairs - March, 2020