India
COVID-19 vaccine registration only on Co-WIN portal, says Health Ministry
India on March 1, 2021 opened registration and started the second phase of COVID-19 vaccination that aims to cover people above 60 and those above 45 with specific comorbid conditions. Health Ministry stated that- “Registration and booking for appointment for COVID vaccination can be done through CoWIN portal cowin.gov.in. There is no CoWIN App for beneficiary registration. The app on Play Store is for administrators only.”
Principal Scientific Adviser to GOI launches Swachhta Saarthi Fellowship
The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India under its Waste to Wealth Mission has launched the Swachhta Saarthi Fellowship to recognize students, community workers or Self-Help Groups, SHGs and municipal or sanitary workers who are engaged in tackling the enormous challenge of waste management, scientifically and sustainably. The Waste to Wealth Mission is one of the nine national missions of the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council, PM-STIAC.
3rd Janaushadhi Diwas 2021 celebrations being held from March 1 to 7
The 3rd Janaushadhi Diwas 2021 celebrations commenced on March 1, 2021. It will be a week-long celebration starting from March 1 to 7. As part of the celebrations, Jan Aushadhi kendras conducted more than 1000 Health Check-up Camps across the country on March 1. Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI), the implementing agency of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) is celebrating 3rd Janaushadhi Diwas on 7th March, 2021 with the theme of “Seva bhi – Rozgar bhi”.
Economy & Corporate
Nitin Gadkari launches Real-Time Monitoring System of Toll Plazas
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on March 1, 2021 launched the Real-Time Monitoring System of Toll Plazas at a function in New Delhi. The government has made FASTag mandatory from midnight of February 15th and any vehicle not fitted with it is being charged double the toll at electronic toll plazas across the country. Speaking about construction of National Highways, Gadkari said, over eleven thousand kilometres of National Highways were constructed in the 11 months of this financial year and the per day road construction has reached 35 kilometres.
MoRTH releases ratings for 18,668 kms of completed four & six-lane NH
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has released the ratings for 18,668 kilometres of completed four and six-lane National Highway stretches covering 343 toll plazas. This has been done by NHAI, which has taken initiative to improve its accountability towards road users, who pay user fee for use of developed National Highways. The objective of highway rating is minimum time with maximum safety in stress free environment from highway users’ perspective.
Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) celebrates its Foundation Day on March 1
The Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) celebrated its 9th Foundation Day on March 1, 2021 at its headquarters in New Delhi. Chairman LPAI, Shri Aditya Mishra narrated the journey of the organisation since its formation in 2012.
45th Civil Accounts Day celebrated in March 1
The 45th Civil Accounts Day was celebrated in New Delhi on March 1, 2021 in presence of Chief Guest and Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman; G.C. Murmu, Comptroller & Auditor General of India and Soma Roy Burman, Controller General of Accounts, amongst others. This annual event was celebrated for the first time by virtual mode
Global Bio-India-2021 being held from March 1 to 3 on a digital platform
The Union Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Health & Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan on March 1, 2021 inaugurated the second edition of Global Bio-India-2021 in New Delhi through virtual mode. The three-day event is being held from March 1 to 3 on a digital platform. The theme for this year is “Transforming lives” with the tag line “Biosciences to Bio-economy”. Global Bio-India-2021 is being co-organised by the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) in partnership with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises (ABLE) and Invest India.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal presides 3rd GCM of BIS
Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal on March 1, 2021 virtually presided the Third Governing Council Meeting of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). He reviewed the process of making Indian Standards and their implementation with BIS officials, senior officials from different Ministries or Regulators. The Minister said, standard testing fees charged by BIS should also be reduced in the initial years for the MSMEs, Start-Ups and for Women Entrepreneurs.
World
Winners of 78th Golden Globe Awards announced
Winners of the 78th Golden Globe Awards for performance in films and television in US in 2020 were announced on February 28, 2021. Winners were selected by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Best Motion Picture-Drama award was won by ‘Nomadland’ while the Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy award went to ‘Borat Subsequent Moviefilm’. Other winners included — Best Performance in a Motion Picture (Drama): Actor: Chadwick Boseman in ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ — Best Performance in a Motion Picture (Drama): Actress: Andra Day in ‘The United States vs. Billie Holiday’ — Best Performance in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy): Actor: Sacha Baron Cohen in ‘Borat Subsequent Moviefilm’ — Best Performance in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy): Rosamund Pike in ‘I Care a Lot’
Manpreet Vohra appointed India’s High Commissioner to Australia
Senior diplomat Manpreet Vohra has been appointed as India’s next High Commissioner to Australia, the Ministry of External Affairs said on March 1. Mr. Vohra, a 1988-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, is presently Ambassador of India to Mexico.
Former French President Sarkozy convicted of corruption, sentenced to jail
A Paris court on March 1, 2021 found former French President Nicolas Sarkozy guilty of corruption and influence peddling and sentenced him to one year in prison and a two-year suspended sentence. The 66-year-old politician, who was president from 2007 to 2012, was convicted for having tried to illegally obtain information from a senior magistrate in 2014 about a legal action in which he was involved.
Zero Discrimination Day observed by UNAIDS on March 1
The Zero Discrimination Day was observed by UNAIDS on March 1, 2021. Observation of the day is aimed at highlighting the urgent need to take action to end the inequalities surrounding income, sex, age, health status, occupation, disability, sexual orientation, drug use, gender identity, race, class, ethnicity and religion that are prevalent around the world.
Russia launches “Arktika-M” satellite to monitor Arctic’s climate and environment
Russia has successfully launched its first satellite to monitor the Arctic’s climate and environment. A Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket with the “Arktika-M” satellite on board blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on February 28, 2021.
Sports
Uganda International Badminton tournament: India win both singles titles
India’s Varun Kapur and Malvika Bansod clinched the men’s and women’s singles titles respectively at the 2021 Uganda International Badminton tournament in Kampala. Varun beat compatriot Sankar Muthusamy 21-18, 16-21, 21-17 in the men’s singles final. Malvika beat compatriot Anupama Upadhyaya in the women singles summit clash 17-21, 25-23, 21-10.
Football: Mumbai City FC win ISL League Winners Shield
Mumbai City FC scripted a 2-0 triumph over ATK Mohun Bagan (ATKMB) at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim on February 28, 2021 to bag the ISL League Winners Shield and the coveted AFC Champions League spot that comes with it. Mumbai and ATKMB finished level on 40 points, but the former claimed first place with a better head-to-head record.
