Current Affairs -03 March 2021

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1.Lok Sabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV merged into Sansad TV
  • After much delibrations the two dedicated channels — Lok Sabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV — that air the parliamentary proceedings, have been merged into a single entity called the ‘Sansad TV’.
  • But, despite the merger, the two channels are likely to continue to be operational but under the banner of Sansad TV for the live telecast of proceedings of the two houses.
  • The decision was jointly taken by the Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
  • Former bureaucrat Ravi Capoor has also been appointed as the CEO of Sansad TV, for a period of one year, with immediate effect and will be spearheading the merger process.
2.World Wildlife Day 2021: 03 March
  • On 20 December 2013, at its 68th session, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed 3 March – the day of signature of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1973 – as UN World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants.
  • The UNGA resolution also designated the CITES Secretariat as the facilitator for the global observance of this special day for wildlife on the UN calendar. World Wildlife Day has now become the most important global annual event dedicated to wildlife.
  • World Wildlife Day will be celebrated in 2021 under the theme "Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet".
Foot Notes:
About UNGA:
President: Volkan Bozkır
Headquarters: New York,United States
Founder: United Nations
Founded: 1945, New York,United States
 
3.Sri Lanka to develop WCT at Colombo Port with India, Japan
  • Sri Lanka will develop the West Container Terminal (WCT) at the Colombo Port with India’s and Japan’s assistance, almost a month after saying the two countries could not build the East Container Terminal because of opposition by workers’ unions against “foreign involvement".
  • The Sri Lankan cabinet on Monday gave the green signal to the development of WCT by “parties nominated" by the two countries. India’s Adani Ports was one of the partners to develop the ECT.
Foot Notes:
About Sri Lanka:
Capitals: Colombo, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
President: Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Currency: Sri Lankan rupee
 
4.Neera Tanden withdraws nomination to lead budget office
  • The Biden administration will stop pursuing the nomination of Indian American Neera Tanden for Director of the powerful Office of Management & Budget (OBM), after Ms. Tanden wrote to the President withdrawing her nomination.
  • It had increasingly become clear that Ms. Tanden could not win enough support in an evenly divided Senate. Her strongly worded tweets were central to the opposition to her candidacy from Senators on both sides of the aisle, as was her work at the Centre for American Progress, a liberal think tank that Ms. Tanden has led.
  • Had she won the nomination, Ms. Tanden would have become the first person of colour to lead the White House budget office, which decides funding priorities and ensures that agency rules and proposed legislation are in sync with the administration’s policies and budget.
Foot Notes:
About America:
Speaker: Nancy Pelosi (Democratic Party)
Capital: Washington, D.C.
President: Joe Biden
 
5.IAF to participate in multinational exercise with ten countries including US, France in UAE
  • The Indian Air Force is all set to take part in the multinational exercise Desert Flag along with France and the United States in the United Arab Emirates.
  • Six IAF Su-30-MKI fighters will take off for the United Arab Emirates on March 3, 2021 to participate in the multinational exercise. IAF's two C-17s will also join the Indian team for the exercise to help them induct and deinduct from there.
  • The Indian Air Force had recently carried out an exercise codenamed 'Desert Knight 2021' with France over Jodhpur involving their and own Rafale fighter jets.
Foot Notes:
About IAF:
Founded: 8 October 1932, India
Headquarters: New Delhi
 
6.Bharat Petroleum Corporation Board approves sale of its 61.65 % stake in Numaligarh Refinery
  • Bharat Petroleum Corporation Board has approved sale of its 61.65 percent stake in Numaligarh Refinery for 9,875 crore rupees. Oil India Limited, Engineers India Ltd and Assam Government will be picking up the stake.
  • Government has also received Multiple Expressions of Interest for privatisation of Shipping Corporation of India Limited. The transaction will now move to the second stage.
7.Haryana to Reserve 75% Jobs In Private Sector for Locals
  • The Haryana Governor has approved a bill that reserves 75 percent of the private sector jobs with gross salary upto ₹ 50,000 per month for the people of the state, Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala informed on Tuesday. The legislation was passed by the state assembly last year.
  • Reservation in the private sector for locals was the main election promise of Mr. Chautala's Jannayak Janta Party, which had formed a government in the state in alliance with the BJP after winning 10 of the 90 seats.
Foot Notes:
About Haryana:
Capital: Chandigarh
Chief Minister: Manohar Lal Khattar
Governor: Satyadev Narayan Arya
 
8.Matam Venkata Rao assumes Charge as MD & CEO of Central Bank of India
  • Matam Venkata Rao has taken charge as its new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
  • Rao till now held the position of Executive Director at Canara Bank.
  • His appointment is for a period of 3 years with effect from the date of assumption of office on or after March 1, 2021, or until further orders, whichever is earlier, Central Bank of India said in a regulatory filing.
  • Born on July 3, 1965, Venkata Rao is a post graduate in agriculture from Sri Venkateshwara Agriculture College, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.
  • He is a Certified Associate of Indian Institute of Bankers.
  • As the Executive Director of Canara Bank for more than three years, he played a pivotal role in the bank's progress and in amalgamation of Syndicate Bank with Canara Bank.
Foot Notes:
About Central Bank Of India:
Headquarters: Mumbai
CEO: Pallav Mohapatra
Founded: 21 December 1911
Owner: Government of India (92.39%)
 
9.Second ODI National Zone Cricket Championship League for Deaf begins
  • The Indian Deaf Cricket Association (IDCA) affiliated & recognized by the Deaf International Cricket Council (DICC) are the organizers for this tournament.  The 50-over tournament will witness deaf cricketing talent from across the country competing for the championship title. Besides the silverware after victory, the tournament will also be of extreme importance to the players as their performance during this tournament will also get them a chance to be part of the Deaf ICC World Cup 2022.
  • The tournament will also hand over a handsome prize money for various categories of awards. The ‘Champion Winner’ team will get a cash reward of INR 1,00,001 while the ‘Runner-up’ team will be given a cash prize of INR 50,001. There are additional prizes for The Man of the Series, the Best Bowler, best Batsmen of the series and the Man of the Match for every match.
10.Jaideep Bhatnagar takes over as Principal DG, PIB
  • Mr. Jaideep Bhatnagar has taken over today as Principal Director General, Press Information Bureau.
  • Mr. Bhatnagar is an Officer of the Indian Information Service belonging to 1986 Batch.
  • He has earlier served in Doordarshan as Head of the Commercial, Sales and Marketing Division.
  • He also served as Prasar Bharati Special Correspondent in West Asia.
  • He later went on to head the News Services Division of All India Radio.
  • Mr. Bhatnagar takes over from Mr. Kuldeep Singh Dhatwalia who has superannuated.
Foot Notes:
About PIB:
Formed: 1919
Headquarters: National Media Centre, New Delhi
Minister responsible: Prakash Javadekar
 
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