1) World Tuberculosis Day observed on 24th March
•World Tuberculosis Day is observed every year on 24 March to create awareness among the public about the global epidemic of tuberculosis (TB) and efforts to eliminate the disease. The date marks the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch announced that he had discovered the bacterium that causes TB, which opened the way towards diagnosing and curing this disease.
•The theme of World TB Day 2022 – ‘Invest to End TB. Save Lives.’ –conveys the urgent need to invest resources to ramp up the fight against TB and achieve the commitments to end TB made by global leaders.
2) International Day for the Right to the Truth: 24th March
•United Nations has recognised March 24 to be observed as the International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims every year. The day aims to pay tribute to those who have devoted their lives or lost their lives in, the struggle to promote and protect human rights for all.
3) Kerala becomes first state to introduce carbon-neutral farming methods
•Kerala is set to become the first state in the country to introduce carbon-neutral farming methods in selected locations, for which the government has set aside Rs 6 crore in the 2022-23 Budget. In the first phase, carbon-neutral farming will be implemented in 13 farms under the Agriculture Department and tribal areas, and steps are on to convert the State Seed Farm at Aluva to a carbon-neutral farm. In the second phase, model carbon-neutral farms will be developed in all the 140 Assembly constituencies.
4) Ministry of Civil Aviation & FICCI organized ‘WINGS INDIA 2022’ in Hyderabad
•Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA) and FICCI are jointly organizing Asia’s largest event on Civil Aviation (Commercial, General and Business Aviation), titled ‘WINGS INDIA 2022’. WINGS INDIA AWARDS will also be conferred during this event. The event focuses on new business acquisition, investments, policy formation, and regional connectivity. It is being held from 24th to 27th March 2022, at Begumpet Airport, Hyderabad.
•The theme of the event: India@75: New Horizon for Aviation Industry.
•The event will provide a favourable forum catering to the rapidly changing dynamics of the sector. It focuses on new business acquisition, investments, policy formation and regional connectivity. It will provide a much-desired fillip to aviation, and restructured focused forums shall be instrumental in attaining the objective of connecting the buyers, sellers, investors, and other stakeholders. Several foreign dignitaries, ambassadors, representatives from various sectors of aviation will be taking part in the event.
5) PM Modi virtually inaugurates Biplobi Bharat Gallery in Bengal
•Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated Biplobi Bharat Gallery at Victoria Memorial Hall in Kolkata on the occasion of Shaheed Diwas. The inauguration was done virtually via video conferencing. The purpose of this new gallery is to provide a holistic view of the events that led up to 1947 and highlight the important role played by the revolutionaries.
6) Government set the target to create 220 new airports by 2025
•Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia stated that the Government has set a target of building 220 new airports by 2025, citing the Civil Aviation industry as a critical component of India’s economy. In response to the Civil Aviation Ministry’s requests for grants for 2022-23, Scindia stated that India has made progress in both domestic and foreign travel during the COVID-19 period. “Cargo flights for perishable food items will be boosted by 30% in the next few years, with 133 new flights,” he stated.
7) Lt Governor Manoj Sinha addresses Gulf Countries’ Investment Summit
•Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has addressed the Gulf Countries’ Investment Summit at SKICC, Srinagar which is aimed at providing a platform for the foreign business delegates to explore a host of investment opportunities in the UT of Jammu & Kashmir. The Lt Governor highlighted the scope for J&K and GCC companies’ economic cooperation to make Jammu and Kashmir the most beautiful investment destination in the world.
•The visit of CEOs of top companies, entrepreneurs, start-up representatives, exporters in Jammu and Kashmir is an expression of confidence of the industry leaders in the potential for business cooperation between J&K and Gulf countries. The development of the power sector, trade, horticulture, rural infrastructure, roads and air links, medical education and health services, Industrial Training Institutes, Information Technology and storage facilities for the products are the diverse areas that have been addressed.
8) OECD projects India’s GDP for FY23 at 8.1%
•The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has retained the outlook for India’s real gross domestic product (GDP) at 5.5% in FY24, lower than 8.1% in 2022-23.
•Driven by infrastructure spending and border reopenings, the GDP of emerging Asia – China, India and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)- is projected to grow 5.8% this year, following a 7.4% expansion in 2021 and a 0.8% contraction in 2020, it said, adding that the Ukraine war adds to inflation and supply chain risks facing an emerging Asia attempting to break out of the Covid-19 slump.
9) A book titled “Unfilled Barrels India’s oil story” authored by Richa Mishra
•A book titled “Unfilled Barrels: India’s oil story” authored by Richa Mishra will be released soon. Richa Mishra is a journalist with The Hindu BusinessLine. The book highlights the key role played by Keshav Dev Malaviya, who was the petroleum minister in the 1970s with a degree in oil technology, and the emergence of other stakeholders from public sector enterprises, including ONGC, to the fiercely competitive private players like Cairn Energy, and Mukesh Ambani’s RIL.
