NATIONAL NEWS

First Butterfly Park of Tripura

• A butterfly park set up by the forest department in a village near the India-Bangladesh international border in South Tripura district.

• It has become a center of attraction for tourists from across the country and Bangladesh.

• The Butterfly Ecopark at Chhotakhola, near to Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary, is the first butterfly park in the Northeast.

• The park is adjacent to the Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary commemorating the Liberation War of Bangladesh and the Endangered Bison Park in the Indo-Bangladesh Friendship Park.

• The surrounding environment attracts many tourists which helps in the economic development of Tripura.

First Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train

• The first Bharat Gaurav special tourist train will commence its journey from Secunderabad railway station.

• The Bharat Gaurav train service will be launched by the Ind ian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on March 18.

• SCR General Manager Arun Kumar Jain said that the ‘Punyakshetra Yatra: Puri – Kashi – Ayodhya’ Bharat Gaurav tour is a great opportunity for rail passengers intending to visit several historical and pilgrimage places.

• Punyakshetra Yatra, which is an eight nights and nine days tour from March 18 to 26 will cover important spiritual destinations such as Puri, Konark, Gaya, Varanasi, Ayodhya and Prayagraj.

India’s First Tribal Carbon-Free Village

• India’s first tribal carbon-free village will come up in Bhiwandi, Maharashtra, India.
• Union Rural Development Minister Shri Giriraj Singh, who was on a tour of Thane district, has assured funds for this project.
• Palli village in Jammu has become the first carbon neutral village in the country.
• Solar energy is being used in this village and all the records of Gram Panchayat are digital.
• A 500 KW solar project has been installed in this village.
• Solar projects will be set up in 15 villages of Bhiwandi Lok Sabha constituency under the carbon-free village initiative.
• It will make electricity available to the citizens at a cheap rate.

BANKING

RBI Imposes Rs 5 Lakh Penalty on HDFC

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a penalty of Rs 5 lakh on Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited (HDFC) for non-compliance with certain provisions issued by the National Housing Bank (NHB).

• A statutory inspection of the company was conducted by NHB with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2020.

• HDFC failed to transfer matured deposits of certain depositors to designated bank accounts of such depositors during the period 2019-20

• The Finance (No. 2) Act, 2019, amended the National Housing Bank Act, 1987 conferring certain powers for regulation of Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) with the RBI.
• Also the RBI has imposed a penalty of Rs 11.25 lakh on IGH Holdings Private Limited, Mumbai for non-compliance with certain provisions.

UCO Bank Raises Rs 500 Crore in AT1 Bonds

• UCO Bank has raised Rs.500 crore through Private Placement of BASEL III Compliant Additional Tier I Bonds (Series I).
• The security issued is 9.50% Unsecured, Subordinated, Perpetual, Non-Convertible Fully Paid Up, Taxable, Basel III Compliant Additional Tier I Bonds in the nature of Debenture of Rs.500 crore (Series I).
• Bonds will be listed on the WDM segment of NSE.
• Earlier, the bank had received an approval for raising Tier I Capital aggregating up to Rs 1000 crore in the form of Additional Tier I Bonds in one or more tranches up to FY24 i.e. till 31 March 2024.

SPORTS

ISSF Shooting World Cup Begins in Bhopal

• ISSF Shooting World Cup was inaugurated in Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh.

• This is the first ever to be held in India outside the national capital of New Delhi.

• Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan was the chief guest.

• Around 200 shooters from 30 countries will participate in the ISSF Shooting World Cup.

• The championship is administered by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF).
• These championships, including all shooting events of the ISSF, have been held every four years since 1954.

AWARDS & PRIZES

Sangita Kalanidhi Award 2023 by Music Academy

• Renowned Carnatic vocalist and Padma Shri awardee Bombay Jayashri has been selected for the Sangita Kalanidhi award for 2023 by the Music Academy.
• Jayashree is one of the foremost Carnatic musicians of today, trained initially by his parents and later by TR Balamani and violinist Lalgudi G. Jayaraman.
• Apart from Carnatic music, Jayashree is also trained in Veena, classical dance and Hindustani music.
• She is known for her melodious and meditative style of singing.
• The Nritya Kalanidhi Award for dance has been given to Vasanthalaxmi Narasimhachari. She has specialized in Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi.
• It is considered the highest honor in the field of Carnatic music.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

'Order of Australia' for Bolstering Bilateral Ties

• Indian industrialist and philanthropist Ratan Tata has been appointed as an Honorary Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AO), for distinguished service to Australia-India bilateral relations, particularly trade, investment and philanthropy.

• Australian High Commissioner to India Barry O'Farrell said that the Governor General of Australia announced his appointment.

• Ratan Tata is the Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons, former Chairman of the Tata Group and one of the world's richest entrepreneurs.

• Ratan Tata has been a strong and influential supporter of deeper ties between Australia and India, including advocating for an India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement.

Chairman of Bharat Petroleum Corporation

• G Krishnakumar has been appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), a 'Maharatna' and Fortune Global 500 company.

• He was earlier an executive director in the company and succeeds Arun Kumar Singh, who retires as chairman in October 2022.

• BPCL was earlier known as Bharat Refineries Limited and was formed after the Government of India acquired Burmah Shell on January 24, 1976.

• BPCL was the first refinery to process Bombay High, a recently discovered indigenous crude.

• Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) is a state-owned oil and gas company in India that was founded in 1952 and is headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

DEFENCE

Bangladesh Commissions its First Submarine Base

• Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the first submarine base of Bangladesh ‘BNS Sheikh Hasina’ at Pekua in Cox’s Bazar.

• This new submarine base will help the Navy to enhance its operational capability to secure the vast maritime resources.

• The government of Bangladesh is working on 'Forces Goal 2030' to transform its military force into a modern organization appropriate for the times.

• Ships passing through the Bay of Bengal can also take help from this base.

INS Sujata Visits Port Maputo, Mozambique

• INS Sujatha, a ship based at Southern Naval Command, Kochi visited Port Maputo, Mozambique as a part of overseas deployment.

• About 40 personnel from the Mozambican Navy visited the ship for cross deck training, which included a tour of the training facilities, briefing on diving, training on VBSS and light weapons, visual communication and maintenance of machinery and onboard sanitation.

• Several other activities such as joint morning yoga sessions, football matches were conducted between the personnel of both the navies.

• The visit of INS Sujata to Maputo, Mozambique further enhanced mutual cooperation and bilateral relations between the two navies.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Poetry Day

• World Poetry Day is observed every year on 21 March.

• It is to honour the expression of language through poetry, which unites people through shared humanity and values.

• The theme for World Poetry Day 2023 is ‘Always be a poet, even in prose.’

• The day aims to promote linguistic diversity through poetic expression and expand the possibility of endangered languages being heard.

• The day promotes reading, writing, and teaching poetry, as well as other forms of expression like music, dance, and painting.
• Poetry is such a medium of expression that evokes feelings and emotions more than any other genre of literature.

International Day of Forests

• International Day of Forests or World Forestry Day is celebrated every year on 21 March.

• It is to raise awareness about the importance of forests, woodlands and trees in our lives.

• The day highlights the value, importance and contribution of forests to balance the life cycle on earth and addresses issues such as deforestation.

• The theme for the International Day of Forests in 2023 is ‘Forests and Health’.
• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared 2011 as the International Year of Forests during its 61st session on 20 December 2006.
• Its objective was to promote awareness on the conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests in the context of poverty alleviation and global warming mitigation.
• The decision was taken to underline the importance of forests in achieving development goals.

World Down Syndrome Day

• World Down Syndrome Day is observed every year on 21 March.

• It is to raise awareness and show support for individuals with Down syndrome.

• The main goal of World Down Syndrome Day is to promote equal treatment and opportunities for persons with disabilities, including Down syndrome.

• This year's theme is "With Us, Not For Us," emphasising the importance of treating individuals with Down syndrome fairly and inclusively.
• World Down Syndrome Day was first observed in 2006 through a global campaign led by the Brazilian Federation of Associations of Down Syndrome.