Current Affairs highlights of the week – 21st February 2021- 27th February 2021

Talking about the major events that unfolded at both national and international level.

National 

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has acquired the State Bank of Sikkim under its supervision and regulation. State Bank of Sikkim was earlier owned by the state, it works under the Sikkim jurisdiction and its headquarters situated at Gangtok, Sikkim.

• Uttar Pradesh is all set to export 20 tonnes of Kala Namak rice to Singapore. It is considered to be a big move to boost the agriculture export of the state. The shipment of 20 tonnes will be exported from Siddharth Nagar to Singapore.

• The government of Uttarakhand has introduced an ordinance granting the women equal co-ownership rights in their husband’s former property.

• The six-day dance festival of Khajuraho started on 21 February 2021. The dance festival is organised at Khajuraho temple in Madhya Pradesh, which is a UNESCO World Cultural heritage.

• Bhagwan Lal Sahni, the Chairman of the National Backward Classes Commission is in support of adding four subcategories of Other Backward Classes on the recommendation of Justice Rohini Commission.

• The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has announced to rename the Hoshangabad city of Madhya Pradesh as Narmadapuram.

• Few rare birds were discovered at the Mangalore University namely Yellow-Billed Babbler, Green Sandpiper and Grey-Necked Bunting.

• On 19 February 2021 in Chennai the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICG) labelled C-453 was commissioned. This was the seventeenth interception boat of the 18 built by Larsen & Toubro Ltd.

• Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare launched functional regulations for integrating Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver (NAFLD) with the national program for cancer prevention and control, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and stroke

• Uttar Pradesh became the first state in the country to present a paperless budget. Suresh Khanna, the state finance minister presented a paperless mode of State budget 2021-2021.

• Indigenous Vertical Launch Short Range Surface (VL-SRSAM) was launched on February 22nd, 2021 by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)

• BS Yeddyurappa, Chief Minister of Karnataka announced that the second Khelo India University Games (KIUG) 2021 will be held in Karnataka.

• The IIT council has set up four panels to grant autonomy to the institution. The panel will look after several topics, from funding to autonomy at the Indian Technology Institutes.

•  In cooperation with the International Flowers Auction Bangalore, the Horticulture Department of Karnataka will establish a flower processing centre

• The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) and the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) together have signed a memorandum of understanding to promote and facilitate Export-Oriented Marine Product.

• Mumbai will start its first-ever undersea tunnel of India in 2023 which is under construction as part of the Coastal Road project of Mumbai.

• The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) has recently published its draft national policy on migrant labours.

• On February 23, 2021, the Central government launched the ‘National Urban Digital Mission’. This mission aims to create Digital Infrastructure all over the country.

• New species of Alpine plants have been discovered in Arunachal Pradesh. The new discovered alpine plant belongs to the category of Himalayan Sunflower.

• Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM KISAN) launched by the central government has completed its two years on February 24, 2021.

• On 23 February 2021, the acquisition of 118 tanks, Arjun Mark 1A was approved by Defence Acquisition Council (DAC). The cost of the entire acquisition was ₹6,000 crores.

• Anjali Bhardwaj, an Indian activist who works for transparency and accountability has been officially selected for the “United State International Anti-Corruption Champions Award” along with the other 11 anti-corruption champions.

• On February 24, 2021, International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) was inaugurated by the Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. This project aims at the Sustainable Development of Dams & River Basins.

• 556 Head Mounted Display (ARHMD) System, is being acquired by the Indian Army. The army will procure it under Make-II Category.

• On February 24, 2021, the Union Cabinet approved a production-linked Incentive scheme for IT Hardware. The PLI scheme offers a stimulus for domestic production. It also aims to attract significant investments in IT hardware supply chai

• On 24 February 2021, in Gujarat, the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the largest stadium in the world at Motera. Later on, the stadium was renamed Narendra Modi stadium. This stadium overcome the Melbourne Cricket Ground and became the world’s largest stadium

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the Second Edition of Maritime India Summit on March 2, 2021.

• The Ministry of Finance allowed all banks in the private sector to take part in government-related businesses like small-scale savings and tax collections.

• The Cabinet of the Union agreed to the proposal to impose the Rule of the President in Puducherry. The proposal was adopted days after a vote of confidence resulted in the Congress government losing its power in the union territory.

• On February 24, 2021, Rajasthan’s Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot, unveiled the state’s Universal Health Coverage while presenting the state budget. For the financial year 2021-2022, the government has allocated Rs 3,500 crore.

• On February 25, 2021, India started its BRICS Chairship with the inaugural three-day-long Sherpas’. The ministry for foreign affairs Anurag Srivastava was the chairman, he highlighted the subjects, the priorities and the calendar for the BRICS 2021.

• The Minister of Finance has announced that it is signing a loan agreement for the Assam Power Transmission project with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). The $304 million loan agreement has been signed. This loan is being used to improve the transmission of electricity in the state of Assam.

• On 25 February 2021, the Central Government notified the new Social Media Guidelines. It is being referred to as “Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021”. To regulate social media and OTT platforms the new guidelines were notified.

• The government of the Union has announced the commencement of the second phase of vaccination with COVID-19 from 1 March 2021. In the second phase of vaccinations for covid-19, people over 60 years will be vaccinated.

• On 26 February 2021, the second edition of the Khelo India Winter Games began at Gulmarg in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The event will conclude on March 2, 2021.

• An official Currency and Finance report (RCF) issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recommended that it should be four quarters instead of the current three-quarter, which has been considered for measuring whether the monetary policy-making panel failed to achieve its objectives.

• On February 25, 2021, the Union Minister for Education addressed the 16th FICCI Summit on Higher Education in New Delhi, India. It will be concluded on February 27, 2021. While addressing the summit the minister said it will aim at making India the knowledge capital of the world.

• To enable consumers to e-filing, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs had decided to integrate the CSCs into E-Daakhil. Portal of e-Daakhil became active on September 7 2020, the National Consumer Dispute Rescue Commission launched the e-Daakhil Consumer Grievance Rescue Portal.

• For the financial year 2021, the national statistical office (NSO) recently published its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data. Following the NSO in December the Indian economy will expand by 0.4%.

• The Prime minister of India, Narendra Modi, to receive the CERAWeek Global Energy and Environment leadership award at an international energy conference which is scheduled to be held in March 2021.

• The Bhakti Movement Saint Guru Ravidas Jayanti is being celebrated on February 27, 2021, all across the country.

• On 26 February 2021, Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attended the Governor meeting of the G20 Central Bank.

• Indian Space Research Organisation launched PSLV-C 51 or Amazonia-1from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on February 28, 2021.

Read more: Understanding the role of the judiciary in decriminalising article 377

International 

• The 10th round of the talk regarding Corps Commander Level was held on February 21, 2021. It took place at the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control in Moldo.

• Saudi Arabia has allowed women to join the armed forces as soldiers, lance corporals, corporals, sergeants, and staff sergeants.

• World Day of Social Justice was observed on February 20. Theme– “A call for social justice in the Digital Economy.”

• NASA released its first audio from Mars on 22 February 2021. It was a faint crackling recording of the wind that was recorded.

• Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) has been signed between India and Mauritius. This is the first African trade agreement ever. It was signed in the presence of Pravind Jugnauth, Prime Minister of Mauritius and S Jaishankar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of India.

• China became India’s top trading partner in the year 2020. India is still dependent on China for the import of heavy machines, telecom equipment and home appliances.

• Bangladesh became the first country worldwide that has banned the painkiller ketoprofen. This painkiller is used to treat cattle and is toxic to vultures.

• Japan has appointed the first-ever Minister for Loneliness amid the increasing suicide rates in Japan.

• A kangaroo painting with some ancient people was recently identified in Australia. Aboriginal community artists created this kangaroo painting more than 17,000 years ago. The painting is recognized as the oldest intact rock art of Australia.

• The World Trade Organization (WTO) is under great pressure to take into account the Indian proposal for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) waiver on Covid-19 vaccines.

• On 25 February 2021 the Parliament of Australia passed the landmark law known as the “News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code”. This law requires the digital global platforms to pay for the publication of Australian news content on their respective platforms. The law is principally aimed at Google and Facebook.

• The UN World Food Program (WFP) has published its report on 24 February 2021, entitled ‘The School State Feeding Worldwide.’

• The Indian and Pakistani Military announced that both sides have agreed to stop cross-border firing in Jammu and Kashmir on the Line of Control. The agreement will be effective from February 2021.

• The Global anti-terrorism watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) decided to maintain Pakistan into Grey List till June 2021

• On 26 February 2021, India and Ireland held virtual consultations on UN Security Council issues. The two countries welcomed each other for their election to the United Nations Security Council during the bilateral consultations.

• A new variant of Covid-19 variant called B.1.526 is causing some damage in the city of New York.

• Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation, praised India, and Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, on the sharing of vaccines for Covid-19 and on behalf of “Vaccine Equality” around the world.

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