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Daily Current Affairs – 17 March 2020

Daily Current Affairs 17 March 2020: We have collected the latest current affairs for 17 March 2020 that are important for all competitive exams like Bank, SSC, IBPS, SBI exams. The GK current affairs will help you score more in these competitive exams. Improve your general knowledge with our daily online current affairs. You can also read the daily current affairs on our mobile app.

Current Affairs 17 March 2020

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Pledges $10 Million towards COVID-19 Emergency Fund for SAARC Nations

  • The Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi has led an initiative to create a COVID-19 Emergency Fund for SAARC nations, amid rising cases of the disease in the region.
  • PM Modi has also pledged US$ 10 million to start the fund.
  • PM said that the fund could be based on voluntary contributions from all the SAARC members.
  • The fund can be used by any of the 8 member states to meet the cost of immediate actions. 
  • SAARC nations inlcude: India, Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Maldives, and Bhutan

India ranks 12th in women member presence on companies’ board globally; Norway Tops

  • The global recruitment tendering platform MyHiringClub.com and Sarkari-Naukri.info has conducted a study titled ‘Women On Board 2020’, which reveals the presence of women member on board of a company.
  • According to the study, India ranked 12th worldwide in women member presence on board.
  • Norway has topped the list with 40.72 percent women on board followed by Sweden with 30.84 percent and Finland 29.91 percent respectively.
  • The study was done online amongst 7,824 listed companies across 36 countries.
  • Overall, the women’s director on board percentage is 14.87 percent, more than double compared to the last two years.
  • From India, 628 listed employers participated in this study, of which 55 percent have women directors, which is 14 percent higher than previous year.
  • Around 54 percent of employees in Asia and 39 percent in India are women.

Manipur Government announces two new schemes for sportspersons & artistes

  • The Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has announced two new schemes for the welfare of the sportspersons and artistes of the state.
  • The two schemes are:
    1. ‘Chief Minister’s Akhannaba Sanaroisingi Tengbang’ (CMAST) – for the welfare of  sportspersons and coaches of the state
    2. ‘Chief Ministergi Artiste Singgi Tengbang’ (CMAT) – for welfare of the artistes of the state
  • These schemes are the biggest schemes, the state government had ever launched and will be effective from April 2020.
  • An estimated amount of Rs 736 lakhs has been projected for CMAST while Rs 570 lakhs for CMAT.

World’s First Flying Car Will Be Manufactured In Gujarat, India

  • The world’s first commercial flying car named ‘PAL-V Liberty’ will be developed in Gujarat, India.
  • Dutch company PAL-V (Personal Air and Land Vehicle) will develop this car.
  • PAL-V has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Gujarat’s Industries Principal Secretary MK Das to set up a manufacturing facility in Gujarat.
  • The PAL-V Liberty will have two engines. It will attain a top speed of 160 kmph on roads. Apart from this, it will be able to fly at a speed of 180 kmph.

Manikaran Power becomes first member of India’s gas trading platform

  • Manikaran Power Ltd (MPL) has become the first member of India’s first gas trading platform which is known as Indian Gas Exchange (IGX).
  • IGX is a part of Indian Energy Exchange (IEX).
  • About IGX: Indian Gas Exchange Ltd. (IGX) is India’s first automated national level trading platform to promote and sustain an efficient and robust Gas market and to foster gas trading in the country. 
  • IGX commenced its membership drive in February 2020. MPL is already trading member in IEX and is the first to join hands with IGX.

‘An Extraordinary Life: A biography of Manohar Parrikar’ to be Released in April 2020

  • A book on the life and times of bureaucrat-turned-politician and former Chief Minister of Goa, Manohar Parrikar, is set to hit stands in April 2020.
  • The book titled “An Extraordinary Life: A biography of Manohar Parrikar” has been written by veteran journalists Sadguru Patil and Mayabhushan Nagvenkar.
  • It is being published by publishing house Penguin Random House India.
  • Parrikar died on 17 March 2019, after battling pancreatic cancer at the age of 63.
  • He had also held the defence portfolio in the Modi government from 2014 till 2017.

Badminton Star Tai Tzu Ying and Viktor Axelsen Wins All England Championship

  • In badminton, Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying beat Chinese world number one Chen Yufei 21-19, 21-15 to win the women’s single title at the All England badminton Championship on March 15, 2020 in Birmingham.
  • This is the third All England badminton Championship title for Tai Tzu-ying.
  • The 25-year-old previously won the All England titles in 2017 and 2018.
  • In the men’s event, Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen won his maiden All England Championship title, beating Taiwanese top seed Chou Tien-chen 21-13, 21-14.
  • The All England badminton Championship was the season’s first Super 1000 World Tour tournament and has also become the last event as the Badminton World Federation (BWF) has suspensed all World Tour and sanctioned tournaments owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indian Paddler Sharath Kamal Clinches 2020 Oman Open Table Tennis Tournament

  • Ace Indian table tennis player Achanta Sharath Kamal has won the 2020 ITTF Challenge Series Plus Oman Open in Muscat on 15 March 2020.
  • The 37-year-old Tamil Nadu veteran beat top-seeded Marcos Freitas of Portugal 4-2 in the final.
  • The last time when Sharath bagged a title at ITTF event was in 2010 when he won Egypt Open. 

National Vaccination Day: 16 March

  • In India, the National Vaccination Day (also known as National Immunisation Day (IMD)) is observed on 16 March ever year, to raise the awareness for the eradication of polio from the planet.
  • The day was first observed on 16 March, 1995 when the first dose of an oral vaccine against polio was given in India.

Traditional Phool Dei festival of Uttarakhand Begins to mark onset of Spring Season

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