Current Affairs march-15th-2024
National News
Yoga Mahotsav 2024: IDY 100 Days Countdown Begins With Women Empowerment Focus
- The 100-day countdown to the 10th edition of the International Day of Yoga (IDY) on June 21st, 2024, commenced with the Yoga Mahotsav-2024 at Vigyan Bhawan.
- This year’s theme, “Yoga for Women Empowerment,” underscores the Ministry of Ayush’s dedication to promoting global health and peace through yoga, with a specific emphasis on enhancing women’s well-being.
Anurag Thakur Launches Prasar Bharti – Shared Audio Visuals For Broadcast And Dissemination (PB-SHABD)
- Anurag Singh Thakur inaugurated PB-SHABD, a news sharing service, at the National Media Centre, New Delhi.
- Alongside, he unveiled the revamped websites of DD News and Akashvani News, along with an updated News on Air mobile app.
- PB-SHABD offers daily news feeds in various formats, including video, audio, text, and photo, drawn from Prasar Bharati’s extensive network.
- The redesigned websites promise a seamless user experience with diversified content sections catering to National, International, Education, Health, Business & Economy, Science & Tech, Sports, Environment, and Opinion.
International News
India And Dominican Republic Sign Protocol To Establish Joint Economic And Trade Committee
- India and the Dominican Republic inked a protocol on March 12, 2024, in Santo Domingo to establish the Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO).
- This initiative, approved by the Union Cabinet of India on January 24, 2024, outlines a comprehensive framework aimed at fostering cooperation across sectors such as trade, services, and industrial technologies.
State News
Tata Motors To Establish Rs 9,000 Crore Manufacturing Unit In Tamil Nadu
- Tata Motors unveiled plans to set up a new manufacturing unit in Tamil Nadu, investing Rs 9,000 crore over the next five years.
- This strategic move aims to enhance production capacity in South India, leveraging the state’s favorable business environment.
- With existing manufacturing bases in Dharwad, Karnataka, and other regions of India, Tata Motors seeks to bolster its manufacturing capabilities to meet the escalating demand for commercial and passenger vehicles in the area.
Defence News
China, Iran, And Russia Stage Joint Naval Drills In Gulf Of Oman
- China, Iran, and Russia joined forces for the "Security Belt-2024" exercise near the Gulf of Oman to bolster regional maritime security.
- This marks the fourth iteration of such joint drills since 2019, themed around "Jointly Building Peace and Security."
- The exercise, divided into harbor, sea, and summarize phases, focuses primarily on anti-piracy and search and rescue operations.
Launch Of ‘Agray’ And ‘Akshay’ Fifth And Sixth Ship Of ASW SWC (GRSE) Project
- The Indian Navy reached a significant milestone on March 13, 2024, with the launch of ‘Agray’ and ‘Akshay’, the 5th and 6th ships of the 08 x ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) Shallow Water Craft (SWC)
- Constructed by M/S Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata, these ships belong to the Arnala class and are intended to replace the in-service Abhay class ASW Corvettes of the Indian Navy. They are designed to enhance maritime security and defense capabilities.
Important Days News
World Kidney Day 2024
- World Kidney Day, observed annually on the second Thursday of March, serves as a global health awareness campaign highlighting the significance of kidney health and the growing burden of kidney diseases worldwide.
- This year, on March 14th, 2024, the theme “Kidney Health for All – Advancing Equitable Access to Care and Optimal Medication Practice” underscores the importance of equitable healthcare access for all individuals, emphasizing preventive measures and optimal treatment practices.
International Day Of Action For Rivers 2024
- The International Day of Action for Rivers, observed on March 14th annually, focuses on advocating for the conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of rivers worldwide.
- This year's theme, “Water for All,” reaffirms the fundamental right of every individual to access clean water.
- River experts from 20 nations have declared March 14th as a day of concerted action against the degradation of ecologically sensitive water bodies, highlighting the urgent need for global collaboration in river conservation efforts.
Schemes News
NITI Aayog’s ‘Vocal For Local’ Initiative: Empowering Grassroots Entrepreneurship
- NITI Aayog launched the ‘Vocal for Local’ initiative on March 13, 2024, as part of its Aspirational Blocks Programme.
- This initiative aims to empower grassroots entrepreneurship and bolster local economies, fostering self-reliance and sustainable growth.
- Under this initiative, Prof. Ramesh Chand, Member, NITI Aayog, unveiled the logo for ‘Aakanksha,’ aiming to consolidate indigenous local products from 500 Aspirational Blocks under a unified brand, promoting local entrepreneurship and innovation.
Appointments News
Gyanesh Kumar, Sukhbir Sandhu Appointed As New Election Commissioners
- Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu have been appointed as new Election Commissioners by the three-member committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- This decision, announced on March 14, 2024, by Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, fills vacancies left by the retirement of Anup Pandey in February and the resignation of Goel.
- With these appointments, the three-member Election Commission panel, led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, is now complete.
Sports News
Khelo India Rising Talent Identification (KIRTI) Programme Launched
- Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, the Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, inaugurated the Khelo India Rising Talent Identification (KIRTI) Programme in Chandigarh.
- Launched under the Khelo India mission, KIRTI aims to identify talented athletes aged 9 to 18 years currently enrolled in schools across the country.
- This nationwide talent hunt event plans to conduct 20 lakh assessments throughout the year via notified Talent Assessment Centres, nurturing and honing the skills of budding sports talents.