15th March, 2024

1. Ministry of Women and Child Development has launched a National Curriculum for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) for children aged 3 to 6 years, and a National Framework for Early Childhood Stimulation for children from birth to 3 years.
2. PM Narendra Modi has inaugurated, dedicated, and laid foundation stones for projects worth Rs 17,500 crore in Assam.
3. PM Narendra Modi has participated in the ‘Viksit Bharat Viksit North East program’ at Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh.
4. Telangana Chief Minister Anumula Revanth Reddy has launched the ‘Indiramma Indlu’ housing scheme in Bhadrachalam, Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana.
5. Maharashtra Cabinet has approved the renaming of 8 railway stations in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
6. Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has expanded the framework of Qualified Stock Brokers (QSBs) to include more stock brokers.
7. State Bank of India (SBI) has partnered with One97 Communications Limited (OCL) for Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions.
8. Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the merger of Garagepreneurs Internet Private Limited (GIPL) with the North East Small Finance Bank (NESFB).
9. Board of Directors (BoD) of Aditya Birla Capital Limited (ABCL) has approved the scheme of merger of Aditya Birla Finance Limited (ABFL) with ABCL.
10. CCI has approved the acquisition of a stake in Asian Institute of Nephrology and Urology Private Limited (AINU) by TPG Growth V SF Markets Pte. Ltd. and Waverly Pte. Ltd., through Asia Healthcare Holdings Pte. Ltd.
11. 96th Academy Awards (Oscars 2024) were held at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA on 10th March 2024.
12. World Kidney Day
13. International Day of Mathematics
14. International Day of Action for River 2024
15. Devendra Jhajharia, a renowned javelin thrower, has been elected unopposed as the president of the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI).
16. Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur has unveiled the Book ‘Israel War Diary’.

National News

1. National Curriculum for Early Childhood Care and Education.
   • What ? Ministry of Women and Child Development has launched a National Curriculum for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) for children aged 3 to 6 years, and a National Framework for Early Childhood Stimulation for children from birth to 3 years.
   • Objective:
     • To strengthen Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) landscape of India.
     • To recognize the crucial role of early years in child development and brain growth, with 85% of brain development occurring before age 6.
   • Components of National Curriculum for ECCE 2024:
     • It covers all domains of development as per the National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage 2022 (NCF-FS).
     • It prioritizes competency-based lesson plans and activities focusing on playful joy-based learning.
     • It provides for a weekly calendar comprising 36 weeks of active learning, 8 weeks of reinforcement, and 4 weeks of initiation.
     • It includes a combination of activities such as in-centre and at-home, indoor and outdoor, child-led, and educator-led.
   • More about National Framework for Early Childhood Stimulation 2024:
     • It aims to empower caregivers and Anganwadi Workers for holistic early stimulation through responsive caregiving and early learning opportunities.
     • It focuses on principles such as serve and return, caregiver’s acts: love, talk, play, and positive guidance.
       Source: PIB

State News

1. Prime Minister’s visit to Assam.
   • What ? PM Narendra Modi has inaugurated, dedicated, and laid foundation stones for projects worth Rs 17,500 crore in Assam.
   • Key points:
     • PM Modi inaugurated a new Medical College and Hospital at Tinsukia.
     • Foundation stones were laid for projects like the capacity expansion of Digboi Refinery and the Barauni – Guwahati Pipeline.
     • Railway projects worth more than Rs 1300 crore were inaugurated, enhancing connectivity in Assam.
     • About 5.5 lakh homes under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin were inaugurated, constructed at a total cost of about Rs 8,450 crore.
     • Prime Minister has also launched various projects under PM-DeVINE Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga Project.
   • PM also unveiled the statue of Lachit Borphukan:
     • PM Modi unveiled a 125-foot tall bronze statue of Lachit Borphukan, an Ahom general, in Jorhat, Assam.
     • Statue honors Lachit Borphukan’s legendary leadership in the Battle of Saraighat against the Mughals.
       Source: PMI
2. Prime Ministers visit to Arunachal Pradesh.
   • What ? PM Narendra Modi has participated in the ‘Viksit Bharat Viksit North East program’ at Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh.
   • Key points:
     • PM Modi launched UNNATI (Uttar Poorva Transformative Industrialization Scheme), a new Industrial Development Scheme for the North East, aimed at boosting industrialization and economic growth in the region.
     • More about UNNATI Scheme:
       • The scheme is valued at Rs 10,037 Crore over a period of 10 years and encompasses all 8 North Eastern States.
       • It offers incentives such as capital investment, interest subvention, and manufacturing and services-linked incentives to approved units.
     • Inauguration of Sela Tunnel:
       • It provides ‘all-weather’ connectivity to the Tawang region, overcoming the challenges posed by severe weather and difficult terrain.
       • Its strategic location near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) makes it crucial for ensuring access to areas prone to natural obstacles and inclement weather conditions.
       • Project cost: Rs 825 crore
     • Other projects:
     • PM Modi has also laid the foundation stone for the Dibang Multipurpose Hydropower Project in Arunachal Pradesh.
     • PM has inaugurated the Sabroom Land Port to facilitate the movement of passengers and cargo between India and Bangladesh, enhancing trade and connectivity in the region.
     • PM has released the coffee table book titled “Building Viksit Arunachal“, showcasing the development initiatives and progress in Arunachal Pradesh.
   • Map of Sela Tunnel Project:
     Source: ET
3. Launched of the ‘Indiramma Indlu’ housing scheme in Telangana.
   • What ? Telangana Chief Minister Anumula Revanth Reddy has launched the ‘Indiramma Indlu’ housing scheme in Bhadrachalam, Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana.
   • More about the Scheme:
     • Scheme implemented by: Telangana State Housing Corporation Limited (TSHCL)
     • The government plans to construct 450,000 Indiramma houses under the scheme for Rs 22,500 crore.
     • Provisionally, each constituency will receive 3,500 houses.
     • Eligible beneficiaries without land will receive a housing site and Rs 5 lakh in financial assistance and those who already own land will receive Rs 5 lakh for house construction.
     • Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) beneficiaries will receive Rs 6 lakh in financial assistance under the scheme.
     • To qualify, applicants must be permanent residents of Telangana, live in huts or mud houses, and possess a Below Poverty Line (BPL) card.
     • The family of applicant must be of lower or middle class, with annual earnings not exceeding Rs 2 lakhs.
       Source: The Hindu

4. Maharashtra Cabinet approved the renaming of eight railway stations in Mumbai.
   • What ? Maharashtra Cabinet has approved the renaming of 8 railway stations in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
   • Key points:
     • New names for the stations are as follows:
       • Curry Road as Lalbaug, Sandhurst Road as Dongri, Marine Lines as Mumbadevi, Cotton Green as Kalachowki, Charni Road as Girgaon, Dockyard Road as Mazgaon, and King Circle as Tirthakar Parshivnath.
     • Additionally, a proposal has been sent to the Railways Ministry to rename Mumbai Central Station as Nana Jagannath Shankarsheth Station.
     • The cabinet also decided to rename the ‘Ahmednagar‘ district as ‘Ahilya nagar‘ in honor of the late Maratha Queen Ahilyabai Holkar.
       Source: ndtv

Banking and Economy

1. Expansion of Qualified Stock Brokers (QSBs) Framework.
   • What ? Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has expanded the framework of Qualified Stock Brokers (QSBs) to include more stock brokers.
   • Objective:
     • To safeguard investors’ interests, improve trust in the securities market, and reinforce a compliance culture among stock brokers.
   • Key points:
     • SEBI has exercised its powers under Section 11(1) of the SEBI Act, 1992, in conjunction with Regulation 30 of the SEBI (Stock Brokers) Regulations, 1992.
     • Stockbrokers can now choose to become Qualified Stock Brokers (QSBs).
     • QSBs are obligated to meet higher standards in governance, risk management, and cybersecurity.
     • If a QSB is removed from the list, it retains its status for 3 financial years, according to the Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIs) and SEBI.
     • Former Criteria for Designating a Stockbroker as QSB:
       • The total number of the stock broker’s active clients
       • The total assets of clients available with the stock broker
       • Trading volumes of the stock broker (excluding proprietary trading volume)
       • End-of-day margin obligations of all the stock broker’s clients (excluding proprietary margin obligation)
     • Newly Added Criteria:
       • The compliance score of the stock broker
       • The grievance redressal score of the stock broker
       • The proprietary trading volumes of the stock broker
     • Evaluation Criteria:
       • QSBs will be assessed based on their compliance and grievance redressal scores.
       • The date for designating stock brokers as QSBs varies depending on the criteria: September 1 of the following year for compliance score and grievance redressal score, and June 1 of the following year for other criteria.

2. SBI partnered with One97 Communications for UPI transactions.
   • What ? State Bank of India (SBI) has partnered with One97 Communications Limited (OCL) for Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions.
   • Objective:
     • To redirect Paytm Payments Bank (PPBL)’s handle “@paytm” to one of the four banks for settlement.
   • Key points:
     • SBI has acquired the third-party app provider (TPAP) license to facilitate UPI transactions in partnership with OCL.
     • All four banks will act as Payment System Provider (PSP) banks to OCL.

3. Merger of Garagepreneurs Internet Private Limited (GIPL) with the North East Small Finance Bank (NESFB).
   • What ? Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the merger of Garagepreneurs Internet Private Limited (GIPL) with the North East Small Finance Bank (NESFB).
   • More about merger:
     • GIPL operates under the brand “slice“, which specializes in digital payments and credit products in India.
     • NESFB is a private sector Small Finance Bank headquartered in Guwahati, Assam.

4. Amalgamation of Aditya Birla Finance Limited (ABFL) with Aditya Birla Capital Limited (ABCL).
   • What ? Board of Directors (BoD) of Aditya Birla Capital Limited (ABCL) has approved the scheme of merger of Aditya Birla Finance Limited (ABFL) with ABCL.
   • Objective:
     • To transform ABCL into a large unified operating Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC).
   • Key points:
     • The proposed merger will reduce the number of legal entities and simplify ABCL’s group structure.
     • Vishakha Mulye is set to become the Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the merged company, while Rakesh Singh will become the Executive Director (ED) and CEO of NBFC.

   • About ABCL and ABFL:
     • ABFL is a wholly owned subsidiary of ABCL and is registered with the RBI as a non-deposit taking systemically important NBFC–Investment and Credit Company (ICC).
     • ABCL is a systemically important non-deposit taking NBFC-Core Investment Company (CIC) also registered with the RBI.
       Source: The Hindu

5. Competition Commission of India (CCI) has granted approval for the acquisition of stake in Asian Institute of Nephrology and Urology Private Limited (AINU).
   • What ? CCI has approved the acquisition of a stake in Asian Institute of Nephrology and Urology Private Limited (AINU) by TPG Growth V SF Markets Pte. Ltd. and Waverly Pte. Ltd., through Asia Healthcare Holdings Pte. Ltd.
   • Key points:
     • The acquisition process is divided into two parts:
       • Part I includes the purchase of fresh Redeemable Preference Shares (New RPS) in Asia Healthcare Holdings Pte. Ltd. (AHH) by TPG Growth V SF Markets Pte. Ltd. (Growth V) and Waverly Pte. Ltd.
       • Part II involves the subsequent acquisition of a majority stake in Asian Institute of Nephrology and Urology Private Limited (AINU) by AHH.
         Source: PIB

Awards

1. 96th Academy Awards (Oscars 2024) .
   • What ? 96th Academy Awards (Oscars 2024) were held at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA on 10th March 2024.
   • Key points:
     • “Oppenheimer” has secured a total of 7 awards, while “Poor Things” has claimed 4 awards.
     • “The Zone of Interest” has won 2 awards.
     • Indian Art Director Nitin Chandrakant Desai was honored during the Oscars’ In Memoriam segment, remembering those who passed away in the previous year.
   • Winners in major category:

Source: The Hindu

Important Days

1. March 14– World Kidney Day; Theme– Kidney Health for All – Advancing equitable access to care and optimal medication practice
   Source: wkd
2. March 14– International Day of Mathematics; Theme– Playing with Math
   Source: idm
3. March 14– International Day of Action for River 2024; Theme– Water for All
   Source: The Hindu

Appointments

1. President of the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI).
   • What ? Devendra Jhajharia, a renowned javelin thrower, has been elected unopposed as the president of the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI).
   • Key points:
     • Devendra Jhajharia succeeded para-athlete Deepa Malik, whose term as the president of PCI ended on 31st January 2024.
     • R. Chandrashekhar and Satya Prakash Sangwan were elected as Vice Presidents, while Jayawant Hammanawar assumed the role of Secretary General.

Source: sportstar

Miscellaneous

1. Book ‘Israel War Diary’ has been unveiled.
   • What ? Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur has unveiled the Book ‘Israel War Diary’.
   • Key points:
     • Written by: Vishal Pandey
     • Published by: Prabhat Prakashan Private Limited
     • The book discusses the war between Israel and Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya (HAMAS).
       Source: AIR

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