NATIONAL NEWS

PM Modi Launched ‘Call Before U Dig’ App

• The Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ‘Call Before u Dig’ (CBuD) app, to tackle Uncoordinated digging and excavation.
• The mobile application is an initiative of the Department of Telecom, Ministry of Communications.
• It aims to prevent damage to underlying assets such as optical fiber cables, which is caused by unorganized quarrying and mining, which leads to a loss of about Rs 3,000 crore every year.
• This will save potential business losses due to lesser disruption of essential services like road, telecom, water, gas and electricity and reduce the inconvenience caused to citizens.
• The app will connect excavators and property owners so that planned excavation can be carried out in the country while ensuring the safety of underground assets.

5th Poshan Pakhwada

• The Women and Child Development Ministry will celebrate the 5th Poshan Pakhwada from 20 March to 03 April 2023.
• The main aim of the Pakhwada is to raise awareness about the importance of nutrition and promote healthy eating habits through Jan Andolan and Jan Bhagidari.
• The theme of the 5th Poshan Pakhwada is ‘Nutrition for All: Together Towards a Healthy India’.
• It will focus on popularising ‘Shree Anna’- the mother of all grains as a valuable asset to resolve the problem of malnutrition.

1st Indian State to Launch PM MITRA Mega Textile Park

• India’s first PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Park for the textile industry was launched at E. Kumaralingapuram in Virudhunagar district of Tamil Nadu.
• Nadu Chief Minister Shri MK Stalin and Union Textiles Minister Shri Piyush Goyal jointly launched the park.
• The PM Mitra Mega Textiles Park will give a boost to the local economy of Virudhunagar, an aspirational district in Tamil Nadu.
• Under the Virudhunagar PM Mitra project, infrastructure work will be done with an estimated Rs 2,000 crore, which includes a central subsidy of Rs 500 crore.
• The Virudhunagar PM MITRA Park is among the 7 such proposals announced by the Centre.
• The other 6 parks will come up in Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh under the Rs 4,445 crore PM MITRA scheme.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Egypt Became a Member of the BRICS NDB

• Egypt officially became a member of BRICS’ New Development Bank (NDB) which includes India, Brazil, Russia, China, and South Africa as member countries.
• Egypt completed all the necessary procedures to become an eligible member on February 2023.
• BRICS’ New Development bank was established in July 2014, after an intergovernmental agreement at the 6th BRICS summit in Fortaleza.
• The bank’s goal is to finance infrastructure projects and sustainable development projects in BRICS member states and developing countries.
• Previously, the bank received an “АА+” international credit rating from Fitch Ratings and S&P Global Ratings.
• South Africa is to host the 15th BRICS Summit which is scheduled to be held in Aug 2023 in Durban, South Africa.

BANKING

Country's First 'Anywhere Cashless' Facility

• For the first time in the country, ICICI Lombard General Insurance launched 'Cashless Anywhere' facility for health insurance policyholders to avail cashless facilities at any hospital.
• This facility will be subject to the approval of the hospital for cashless facility.
• Policyholders have to inform the company 24 hours before the date of admission giving basic information about the patient, policy details, name of the hospital, diagnosis and treating doctor.
• Any hospital, if not a part of ICICI Lombard's existing network, can get treated with this new facility to avail cashless facilities.
• Initially launched as a pilot project, this facility can now be availed across India through the 'IL TechCare' application, at no cost to the customers from their own pocket.
• It aims to expand insurance coverage by setting up more network partners in Tier-II and Tier-III cities and actively seek and provide better options to customers.

Karur Vysya Signs Bancassurance Agreement with SBI Life

• Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) has executed an agreement with SBI Lite, the insurance arm of State Bank of India (SBI) as an additional bancassurance partner in the life insurance category.
• Bancassurance is a relationship between a bank and an insurance company that is aimed at offering insurance products or insurance benefits to the bank’s customers.
• SBI Life Insurance declared an interim dividend of ₹2.5 per share for its investors for the financial year 2022-23.
• A dividend is a reward that companies often provide to their shareholders, though not mandatory, from a portion of their earnings.
• The declared interim dividend will be paid on or before 06 April 2023, to eligible shareholders.

CoinDCX Becomes ‘FIU-Registered Reporting Entity’

• CoinDCX, India’s leading and most valued crypto company, has become a Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU)-registered reporting entity under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) norms.
• This brings the cryptocurrency exchange operator under PMLA regulations.
• The government had mandated that Virtual Digital Assets (VDA) service providers such as exchanges, custodians and wallet providers must comply with several regulatory requirements
• These requirements include Know Your Customer (KYC) norms, record-keeping, reporting of suspicious transactions, the appointment of a compliance officer and engaging with regulatory authorities to seek guidance on compliance matters.
• This would lead to increased accountability and implementation of best practices by the Virtual Digital Assets (VDA) industry.
• CoinDCX was also the first exchange to publish proof of reserves.

SPORTS

Women's Premier League Trophy

• The team of Mumbai Indians has won the title of the first season of the Women's Premier League played at the Brabourne stadium, Navi Mumbai.
• The team of Mumbai Indians defeated Delhi Capitals by seven wickets in the final.
• Mumbai won the match by scoring 134 runs for three wickets in 19.3 overs.
• Final Safari Powerful Striker of the Match won by Radha Yadav (Delhi Capitals).
• Final Player of the Match won by Natalie Sciver-Brunt (Mumbai Indians).

World Women’s Boxing Championship

• India's Lovlina Borgohain defeated Australia’s Caitlin Parker in the 75kg final to win the gold medal at the World Women’s Boxing Championship in New Delhi.
• Lovlina has been successful in winning gold in the World Championship for the first time.
• Lovlina defeated Caitlin Parker of Australia 4-3.
• India has got a total of four gold medals in the Women's World Boxing Championship.
• Indian boxers won gold medals in the 48, 50, 75 and 81 kg categories.
• Neetu Ghangash won the gold medal in the 45-48 kg category.
• Sweety Boora won the gold medal in the 75-81 kg category.
• Nikhat Zareen won gold in the 48-50 kg category.
• Lovlina Borgohain won the gold medal in the 70-75 kg category to give India its fourth gold medal.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Theatre Day

• World Theatre Day is celebrated every year on 27 March.
• It is an international day observed annually all over the world on the 27th of March every year.
• The theme for World Theatre Day 2023 is ‘Theatre and a Culture of Peace.’
• World Theatre Day celebrates the importance of theatre arts as it continues to move, entertain, teach and change us.
• In 1962, World Theatre Day is celebrated by ITI centers, ITI Cooperating Members, theatre professionals and organizations, theatre academies and theatre lovers all over the world on March 27.

OBITUTARY

Renowned Writer, Director and Ad Filmmaker Pradeep Sarkar

• Renowned writer, director and ad filmmaker, Pradeep Sarkar passed away in Mumbai, Maharashtra. He was at the age of 67.
• He began his career with Vinod Chopra Productions, the production company of director and producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra.
• He produced the critically-acclaimed Parineeta, which won the acclaimed National Film Award in the Best Debut Film of a Director category.
• His famous Bollywood movies included ‘Parineeta’, Laga Chunari Mein Daag’, Mardaani and Helicopter Eela.
• Pradeep Sarkar received the Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director at the 53rd National Film Awards 2006 for his film Parineeta.