1) National Affairs
India’s first CNG tractor launched by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister
Nitin Gadkari has launched India’s first-ever diesel tractor, converter to a much cleaner Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) variant.
This conversion is jointly developed by Rawmatt Techno Solutions and Tomasetto Achille India.
The farmers can save up to 50% on fuel cost, they can save up to Rs. 1 trillion annually.
Quick Fact: CNG is odorless, tasteless, and non-toxic and is made up of 93.05% methane, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, propane, and traces of ethane.
2) Defence
Prime Minister hands over indigenous Arjun Mk-1A tank to Army
PM Narendra Modi handed over the indigenously developed Arjun Main Battle Tank (MK-1A) to the Indian army at a ceremony in Chennai.
The army will get 118 units of the Main Battle Tank, indigenously designed and developed by CVRDE and DRDO along with 15 academic institutions, eight labs, and several MSME’s
The Arjun tanks stand out for their ‘Fin Stabilised Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot (FSAPDS)’ ammunition and 120-mm calibre rifled gun.
Quick Fact: The Defence Minister of India is Rajnath Singh.
3) Economy
ICICI Lombard launches Corporate India Risk Index
Private general insurer ICICI Lombard has launched ‘Corporate India Risk Index’, which intends to be a unified, standardized corporate risk index that spans industries and companies.
The private insurer ICICI said this will help companies understand the level of risk that their business is facing and also assist in developing a successful risk aversion plan.
It has worked with consulting firms Frost and Sullivan to develop the risk measurement tool.
Quick Fact: ICICI Lombard CEO is Bhargav Dasgupta.
4) Space and Technology
Indian Astronomers detect huge optical flare in a Blackhole
Indian astronomers have reported one of the strongest flares from a feeding supermassive black hole or blazar called BL Lacertae.
The Department of Science and Technology said the analysis of the BL Lacertae can help trace the mass of the Blackhole and the source of emission.
Blazars or feeding supermassive black holes in the heart of distant galaxies receive a lot of attention from the astronomical community because of their complicated emission mechanism.
Quick Fact: The Minister of Science and Technology is Dr. Harsh Vardhan.
5) Person in News
Meghna Pant’s new book “The Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad Good News”
Meghna Pant, an award-winning writer, journalist and speaker has penned a new book “The Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad Good News”.
The book will release in April and soon be seen as a major motion picture under the title Badnam Ladoo.
The book is about a small-town woman, Ladoo, who scandalizes her conservative family when she decides to use a sperm donor to have a baby.
6) Science and Technology
India’s homegrown App MapMyIndia ties up with ISRO
India’s homegrown App MapMyIndia ties up with ISRO to build an alternative to Google Maps and similar platforms.
The agreement between ISRO and MapMyIndia will turn out to be a benefit for users because it will use digital maps and satellite imagery and Earth observation data of ISRO.
Along with mapping data, the information about pollution, agricultural output, weather, land-use changes, flood, and several disasters will be visible to users.
Quick Fact: The Chairman of ISRO is K. Sivan
7) Art and Culture
11th Edition of ‘Rashtriya Sanskrit Mahotsav’ inaugurated in West Bengal
The Governor of West Bengal inaugurated the 11th Edition of ‘Rashtriya Sanskrit Mahotsav’ at Cooch Behar Palace in West Bengal.
The ‘Rashtriya Sanskrit Mahotsav’ is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Culture, organized under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Programme, since 2015.
The programme is organized to promote and celebrate the idea of ‘Unity in Diversity’.
Quick Fact: The Governor of West Bengal is Jagdeep Dhankhar.
8) Polity
Justice Puligoru Venkata Sanjay Kumar sworn-in as Chief Justice of Manipur HC
Justice Puligoru Venkata Sanjay Kumar was sworn-in as Chief Justice of Manipur High Court at Raj Bhavan, Imphal.
He was appointed as Chief Justice of Manipur HC by the President of India.
He has earlier served as a Judge in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Quick Fact: The Chief Minister of Manipur is N. Biren Singh.
