Mera Ration mobile app launched

Shankar School of Banking March 13 , 2021 413

NATIONAL NEWS

Mera Ration mobile app launched

  • Department of Food and Public Distribution under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution launched the “Mera Ration” mobile app during the conference on One Nation One Ration Card plan.
  • The ONORC scheme is being implemented by the Department for the nation-wide portability of ration cards under National Food Security Act (NFSA).
  • This system allows all NFSA beneficiaries, particularly migrant beneficiaries, to claim either full or part foodgrains from any Fair Price Shop (FPS) in the country through existing ration card with biometric/Aadhaar authentication in a seamless manner.

 

PM launches Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the “Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav” on March 12 to commemorate the 91 years of Dandi March.
  • The historic Dandi March was led by Mahatma Gandhi on March 12, 1930.
  • It was a 386 km march from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi in Ahmedabad against the provisions of the hated Salt Tax, was Dandi, a seaside village in Gujarat.
  • Also, Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav is a series of events organised by the government of India to commemorate the 75th anniversary of independence.
  • The theme of this celebration is “India@75”.

 

Union Minister launches Green Crematoria

  • The Minister of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan launched the Green Crematoria developed by CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) in Delhi’s Nigam Bodh Ghat Crematorium.
  • These green crematoria will address the high localized toxic emissions from crematoria.
  • CSIR - NEERI developed the technology know how to mitigate air pollution from Open Pyre Green Crematoria using the Air Pollution Control System for Crematoria.
  • The new technology comprises Fume collection and handling, Processing/cleaning, Utilities and Waste Handling systems.

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

1st Meeting of the BRICS Contact Group on Economic and Trade Issues held

  • The BRICS Contact Group on Economic and Trade Issues (CGETI) leads held their first meeting under India’s Chairship from 9-11 March 2021.
  • The theme of BRICS this year is -"BRICS@15: Intra BRICS Cooperation for Continuity, Consolidation, and Consensus”.
  • India, under its Chairship in 2021, presented the calendar of events for BRICS CGETI 2021, which included the priority areas for deliverables, schedule and scope of the MSME roundtable conference workshop on Services Statistics, and the BRICS Trade Fair.
  • The following are the actions to be done proposed during the BRICS CGETI:
    1. Action plan based on the document “Strategy for BRICS Economic Partnership 2025” adopted during Russian Presidency in 2020
    2. BRICS Cooperation on Multilateral Trading system including cooperation for the TRIPS Waiver proposal at WTO
    3. Framework for Consumer Protection in E-Commerce
    4. Non-Tariff Measures (NTM) Resolution Mechanism
    5. Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) Working Mechanism
    6. Co-operation framework for protection of Genetic Resources and Traditional Knowledge
    7. BRICS Framework on Co-operation in Professional Services.

 

APPOINTMENTS

Director of IOB

  • S. Srimathy has taken charge as the executive director of Indian Overseas Bank.
  • She has joined as a Probationary Officer in Canara Bank in 1986 and the became the chief general manager.
  • She also acted as the chief vigilance officer in NABARD.

 

AWARDS & PRIZES

Sahitya Akademi Award won by writer Imayam

  • Tamil writer Imayam, won the Sahitya Akademi Award for 2020 for his novel Sellatha Panam.
  • Sellatha Panam is about how money is rendered useless in a family that rejects its daughter for marrying a man from outside the community
  • Born as V. Annamalai in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu, Imayam has written six novels, six short-story collections and a novella.
  • In 2019, his first novel Koveru Kazhuthaikal, translated into English as Burden of Beast, completed 25 years. It also won the Iyal Lifetime Achievement Award instituted by Tamil Literary Garden, Toronto.

 

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