IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS
OF MARCH 19th, 2019
IMPORTANT
CURRENT AFFAIRS OF MARCH 19th, 2019
1.
India, Pakistan and the other members states
of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) will take part in a
joint anti-terrorism exercise to be held this year by the grouping.
a. The decision
to hold the joint exercise 'Sary-Arka-Antiterror 2019' was
announced during the 34th meeting of the SCO's Regional Anti-Terrorist
Structure (RATS) council held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
b. The SCO, in
which China plays an influential role, is also comprised of Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan.
c. India and
Pakistan were admitted into the bloc in 2017.
2.
Singapore, Paris and Hong
Kong share the title of the world's most expensive city,
according to The Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) Worldwide Cost of Living
Survey.
a. Switzerland's Zurich and Geneva and
Japan's Osaka are also among top five most expensive
cities.
b. Note : According
to the report, India's Bengaluru, Chennai and New
Delhi are among the 10 cheapest locations surveyed.
3.
International workshop on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure will begin
in New Delhi tomorrow.
a. The 2-day
event is being organised by the National Disaster Management Authority in
collaboration with United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.
b. Aim of this
workshop : To identify good practices of disaster risk management in key
infrastructure sectors.
c. It will bring
together countries from different parts of the world, multilateral development
banks, UN agencies, academia and research institutions.
4.
The National Green Tribunal has directed
the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to prepare a noise
pollution map and remedial action plan to solve the issue across the
country.
a. The green
panel said the absence of implementation of noise pollution norms affects
health of citizens, especially infants and senior citizens.
5.
Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker and BJP leader Pramod
Sawant was sworn-in as the New Chief Minister of Goa in
a late-night ceremony, two days after Manohar Parrikar passed away after his
battle with cancer.
6.
The meeting of the Goods and Services Tax (GST)
Council is currently underway in New Delhi.
a. Finance
Minister Arun Jaitley is chairing the 34th meeting of the Council
through Video Conferencing.
b. The council
is expected to take up various issues including the implementation of lower GST
rates for the real estate sector.
c. The meeting
is likely to deliberate on transition provision and related issues for the
implementation of lower GST rates for the real estate sector. Sources said, no
issues related to rate is on the agenda as the model code of conduct is in
force.
d. In the
previous meeting held on 24th February, the high-powered GST
Council slashed tax rates for under-construction flats to 5 per cent and
affordable homes to 1 per cent, effective from April 1st.
e. Currently,
the goods and services tax (GST) is levied at 12 per cent with
input tax credit on payments made for under-construction property or
ready-to-move-in flats where completion certificate is not issued at the time
of sale.
7.
Indian Journalist and author Raghu Karnad has
been conferred the prestigious Windham-Campbell Prize.
a. He won the
$165,000 Prize in the non-fiction category for his debut book, The
Farthest Field: An Indian Story Of The Second World War.
b. Karnad is one
of the eight winners chosen across four categories—fiction, non-fiction, drama
and poetry.
c. Raghu Karnad
is the 2nd Indian to receive the award [erry Pinto had won the
award for his novel, Em And The Big Hoom in 2016].
d. Note : Raghu
Karnad is the son of legendary actor, writer and the Jnanpith awardee Girish
Karnad.
8.
President Ram Nath Kovind today presented Gallantry
Awards and Distinguished Service Decorations at the
Defence Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
a. Kirti
Chakras were conferred on Sepoy Vijay Kumar of Indian
Army and Constable Pradip Kumar Panda of CRPF posthumously.
b. Displaying
exceptional bravery and commitment to duty during counter-terrorist operations
in Jammu and Kashmir, both of them made the supreme sacrifice for the nation.
c. Uttam Yudh
Seva Medal was conferred on Lieutenant General Anil Kumar
Bhatt for successful counter-terrorist operations conducted under him
in Jammu and Kashmir.
9.
Businessline Changemaker Awards 2019 Winners List :
a. Changemaker
Of The Year Award : Petitioners against Section 377.
b. Changemaker
Of The Year Award : GST Council.
c. Iconic
Changemaker Award : Bezwada Wilson (Safai Karmachari Andoloan).
d. Social
Transformation Award : The Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences.
e. Digital
Transformation Award : eNAM (Electronic National Agriculture Market).
f.
Young Changemaker Award : Anju Verma
(promoting the education of underprivileged children).
g. Young
Changemaker Award : Kush and Arjun Pandey (developers of ScoutMe app for tapping
football talent).
10. Actress
Priyanka Chopra has been named in USA Today's 50 Most Powerful Women In
Entertainment list. While speaking about being featured in the list, the
actress said, "I feel privileged to share this platform with these amazing
women." American television host Oprah Winfrey, singer Beyoncé, as well as
actress Meryl Streep were also among the celebrities named in the list.
11. 2019 Swiss
Open (badminton) Winners
a. Men’s
Singles : Shi Yuqi (China) [He defeated India's Sai
Praneeth]
b. Women’s
Singles : Chen Yufei (China)
c. Men’s
Doubles : Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian
Ardianto (Indonesia)
d. Women’s
Doubles : Chang Ye-na and Jung Kyung-eun (South
Korea)
e. Mixed
Doubles : Mathias Bay-Smidt and Rikke Soby
Hansen (Denmark)
12. Canadian
teenager Bianca Andreescu defeated world number
four Angelique Kerber to win the BNP Paribas
Open and clinch her 1st career title in Indian Wells.
13. Pakistan
Cricket Board (PCB) has paid Board of Control for Cricket in India
(BCCI) approximately $1.6 million (₹11 crore) as compensation after losing the case it filed against the
Indian board.
a. The PCB had
filed a compensation case last year against the BCCI for not honouring a
bilateral agreement and demanded $70 million.
b. The ICC
dismissed it and asked PCB to compensate the legal cost to BCCI.
14. India has so far
won a total of 188 medals at the Special Olympics
World Games in Abu Dhabi.
a. The medals
include 50 Gold, 63 Silver and 75
Bronze medals.
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