Current Affairs, March 2020

29h March, Current Affairs:

• The Ministry of Family and Health Welfare reveal that the government has identified 1,091 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus across India. The figure also includes 25 individuals who died after testing positive for the infection.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for donations to the newly instituted PM-CARES Fund. The fund will be a public charitable trust under the name of ‘Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund’.

27th March, Current Affairs:

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das today announced cut in benchmark interest rate, Repo Rate by 75 basis points to 4.4 per cent to deal with the hardship caused due to the outbreak of COVID-19.
• Total number of confirmed cases of COVID 19 climbed to 724 including 47 foreign nationals. Health and Family Welfare Ministry has confirmed that 67 patients have been cured and discharged and 17 deaths have been reported in the country so far.
• British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus and is self-isolating at his Downing Street residence.

26th March, Current Affairs:

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday unveiled a Rs 1.7 lakh-crore fiscal stimulus package to help the poor and migrants tackle the financial difficulties arising from the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. She also announced a medical insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh per person for those on the frontline of the fight against the deadly coronavirus outbreak, including doctors, nurses and sanitation workers.
• The Union Government today has extended the ban on international flights till 14th April.

25th March, Current Affairs:

• The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in India went up to 606, including 10 deaths, according to the health ministry. As per the Indian Council of Medical Research, more than 22 thousand six hundred samples from 21 thousand 804 individuals have been tested for COVID-19.
• The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters named Israeli-American Hillel Furstenberg from Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel and Russian-American Gregory Margulis from Yale University, USA as winners of the Abel Prize 2020.

24th March, Current Affairs:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that the entire country will be out under a curfew-like lockdown from midnight today.
• Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the head of the International Olympic Committee agreed to postpone the Tokyo 2020 Games by a year due to Coronavirus Pandemic.
• Indian Finance Minister announced an increase in the threshold for default under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) to Rs 1 crore. Currently, the threshold of triggering insolvency cases stands at Rs 1 lakh. Ms Sitharaman also said that the deadline for filing income tax returns for the financial year 2018-19 has been extended to June 30, 2020 from March 31, 2020. The interest rate on delayed payment of returns has also been cut to 9 per cent from 12 per cent.
• Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan proved his majority by winning the trust vote in the Assembly today.
• World Tuberculosis Day is observed on 24th March every year to raise public awareness.
• Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah was released from detention after 7 months.

23rd March, Current Affairs:

• All domestic commercial airlines will cease their operations from tonight.
• A total of 15,189 deaths have been recorded, the majority in Europe with 9,197 fatalities. Italy is the hardest-hit country with 5,476 deaths, followed by China where the virus first emerged last year with 3,270, and Spain with 2,182.
• The Indian Council of Medical Research has recommended the use of Hydroxychloroquine to treat Corona Virus.
• Shaheed Diwas or Martyr’s Day is celebrated today.

22nd March, Current Affairs:

• The entire country is observing Janata Curfew today following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for people to voluntarily stay indoors to check the spread of Corona virus.
• The Centre and state governments have decided to completely lock down 75 districts across the country where coronavirus cases have been reported to stop all services except the emergency services.
• Indian railway decided to suspension of all its passenger services from March 22 midnight to March 31 midnight amid the coronavirus pandemic.
• At least 17 jawans were martyred and 14 others were injured in a Naxal attack in Sukma, Chhattisgarh.
• World Water Day 2020 is observed today.

21st March, Current Affairs:

• The Reserve Bank of India on Friday decided to infuse additional liquidity with a second tranche of bond purchase worth ₹30,000 crores amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Every year, the United Nations celebrate International Day of Forest on March 21.
• For the third year in a row, Finland has been named the world’s happiest country. The annual United Nations World Happiness Report released its 2020 edition which revealing that the Finland is number one once again.

20th March, Current Affairs:

• Kamal Nath resigned today as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister without facing a test of strength in the State Assembly.
• Seven years after Nirbhaya case, the four of her killers were hanged today morning at 5.30 am in Tihar Jail.
• Union Health Ministry today confirmed that total positive cases of Novel Coronavirus in the country reached 223 including 191 Indians and 32 foreign nationals. Out of the total cases, 23 patients have been cured and discharged.
• Legendary Indian footballer P K Banerjee died today in Kolkata after battling prolonged illness. He was 83.
• Today is World Sparrow Day.

19th March, Current Affairs:

• The number of COVID-19 cases tested positive in India crossed 180 today. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), as of March 18, there were 207,860 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 8,657 deaths in 166 countries.
• Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Ranjan Gogoi today took oath as a Rajya Sabha member.
• No international flights will be allowed to land in India from Sunday for a week, the government announced today escalating measures to fight coronavirus.

18th March, Current Affairs:

• The total number of reported novel coronavirus cases in India has climbed to 160, with 12 fresh cases reported from various parts of the country on Wednesday.
• Swiss firm Roche Diagnostics India has received the license for conducting coronavirus tests after approval from drug regulator DCGI, making it the first private firm to get such permission.
• The Reserve Bank will inject liquidity of ₹10,000 crore through open market operations to maintain financial stability in the system in the wake of coronavirus outbreak in the country.
• Yes Bank has resumed operations and all its banking services are available for its customers now.

15th March, Current Affairs:

• Today is World Consumer Rights Day. This day is celebrated on the 15th of March every year to raise global awareness about consumer rights and needs.
• The President of United States of America Donald Trump has declared national emergency over the spread of corona virus.
• The number of coronavirus cases in the country reached 107 today, with Maharashtra reporting the highest number of cases - 31.

14th March, Current Affairs:

• The government has declared the novel coronavirus outbreak in the country a "notified disaster" for the purpose of providing assistance under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
• Scientists at the National Institute of Virology, Pune have isolated 11 strains of the Covid-19. India has become the fifth country to successfully isolate the virus strain after Japan, Thailand, the United States and China.
• The government has declared face masks and hand sanitizers as essential commodities for the next 100 days. The move is aimed at stepping up efforts to boost supply and prevent hoarding of these items in its fight to check the spread of coronavirus disease.

13th March, Current Affairs:

• Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, released today after over seven months in house arrest.
• The Union Cabinet has approved a four per cent hike in Dearness Allowance - DA for 48 lakh Central government employees and Dearness Relief to 65 lakh pensioners.
• Saurashtra won their maiden Ranji Trophy title today on the back of their first innings lead against Bengal in the final played at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium.
• India vs South Africa ODI Series called off due to Coronavirus. Also the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 has been postponed to April 15th from March 29 as a "precautionary measure" against the coronavirus pandemic.

12th March, Current Affairs:

• The government has suspended all visas to India after World Health Organisation declared it a pandemic. The Union health ministry said all existing visas - except diplomatic, official, UN/International organisations, employment and project visas -- will be suspended till April 15.
• Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill 2020 has been passed by the Parliament with Rajya Sabha giving its nod today.
• The World Health Organization today said that the Novel Coronavirus outbreak is a controllable pandemic if countries step up measures to tackle it.

10th March, Current Affairs:

• Ashraf Ghani sworn in for a second term as the President of Afghanistan.
• Senior Congress leader, former Union Minister and four-time parliamentarian Jyotiraditya Scindia resigned from the Congress Party. Also 21 Congress MLAs in Madhya Pradesh have quit the Kamal Nath government.
• The first batch of 58 Indian pilgrims from Tehran, Iran landed at the Indian Air Force Station at Hindon in Ghaziabad.
• Festival of colours Holi is being celebrated across the country today.

8th March, Current Affairs:

• International Women's Day is celebrated today.
• President Ram Nath Kovind gave away the Nari Shakti Puraskar to 15 women in Rashtrapati Bhawan on the occasion of International Women's Day today.
• Australia women's cricket team registered 85-run win over India to clinch the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, a record fifth time in their history.

7th March, Current Affairs:

• Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiuju inaugurated the five-day Khelo India Winter games at Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir today.
• US President Donald Trump signed an 8.3 billion US Dollars measure to help tackle the coronavirus outbreak.

6th March, Current Affairs:

• Till now 31 people has tested positive for novel coronavirus in India.
• The government has imposed a withdrawal limit of 50,000 rupees for depositors of beleaguered private lender Yes Bank for one month.

5th March, Current Affairs:

• Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat announced Gairsain as the new summer capital of the state.
• India has entered final of ICC Women's T20 World Cup after semifinal clash against England was rained out in Sydney.

4th March, Current Affairs:

• Union Cabinet has approved Companies Second Amendment Act Bill 2019.
• The Centre has launched the second phase of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen)- SBM(G) Phase-II. It will be implemented from 2020-2021 to 2024-2025.
• President Ram Nath Kovind conferred 61st annual Lalit Kala Akademi's awards on 15 artistes at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
• Former India spinner Sunil Joshi named as the chairman of the national selection panel by the BCCI's Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC).
• Jaydev Unadkat became the highest wicket-taking fast-bowler in a Ranji Trophy season. Jaydev Unadkat, with 65 wickets, went past Karnataka's Dodda Ganesh who had taken 62 wickets in the 1998-99 season of the domestic championship.

3rd March, Current Affairs:

• Private sector telecom companies Vodafone Idea, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio paid more than Rs 6,000 crore in spectrum instalments to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
• Today is observed as World Wildlife Day. The day is being celebrated on the 3rd of March every year to create awareness about the importance of protecting wildlife.

2nd March, Current Affairs:

• The Health Ministry confirmed one positive case of COVID-19 has been detected in New Delhi, and one has been detected in Telangana.
• The Khelo India University Games concluded in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Panjab University, Chandigarh took home the champions trophy-winning 46 medals including 17 gold, 19 silver, and 10 bronze.

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