Current Affairs 25 Mar 2015

 Supreme Court has been declared Section 66A  as unconstitutional of Information Technology Act, 2000.

World Tuberculosis day is observed on 24th March 2015 

• World Tuberculosis Day 2015
• The theme for the year 2015 is continuation of the 2014 theme "Reach the 3 Million". "Reach, Treat, Cure Everyone" was the sub-theme and message for the year 2015.
• Dr. Robert Koch discovered the cause of TB, the TB bacillus in 1882. 

Mission Indradhanush - Union Ministry of Health and Welfare launched Media Campaign

• It is launched for creating awareness regarding the importance to fully immunize every child against all vaccine preventable diseases in the country.
• Its aims to cover all those children by 2020 who are either unvaccinated or are partially vaccinated against seven vaccine preventable diseases which include diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis B.

Indian Railways launched the RuPay pre-paid debit cards with the joint venture of Union Bank of India 

• The card will enable passengers to book their Rail tickets and do shopping using RuPay pre-paid debit cards. Card can be availed from either the Union Bank or the IRCTC.

62nd National Film Awards announced

The list of winners

• Best Actress: Kangana Ranaut for Queen
• Best Supporting Actor: Bobby Simhaa for Jigarthanda (Tamil)
• Best Actor: Vijay for Nanu Avanalla Avalu (Kannada)
• Best Direction: Srijit Mukherji for Chotushkone (Bengali)
• Best Music Direction: a) Songs - Haider (Hindi); and b) Background Score - Nineteen Eighty Three (Malayalam)
• Best Female Playback Singer: Uttara Unnikrishanan for song Azhagu in Saivam (Tamil)
• Best Male Playback Singer: Sukhwinder Singh for song Bismil from Haider
• Best Choreography: Bismil for Haider
• Best Supporting Actress: Baljinder Kaur for Pagdi The Honour (Haryanavi)
• Best Writing on Cinema: Silent Cinema: (1895-1930)- Pasupuleti Purnachandra Rao
• Best Writing on Cinema: G. Dhananjayan for Pride of Tamil Cinema (Special Mention)
• Best Costume Designer: Dolly Ahluwalia for Haider

Best Films in different categories

• Best Educational Film: Komal & Behind the Glass Wall
• Best Exploration/Adventure: Film Life Force - India's Western Ghats
• Best Investigative Film: Phum Shang
• Best Animation Film: Sound of Joy
• Best Short Fiction Film: Mitraa
• Best Film Critic: Tanul Thakur
• Best Film On Environment Conservation/ Preservation: Ottaal (Malayalam)
• Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Mary Kom
• Indira Gandhi Award For Best Debut Film Of A Director: Asha Jaoar Majhe (Bengali)
• Best Feature Film: Court (Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati & English)

Best Films in different languages

• • Best Tamil Film: Kuttram Kadithal
  • Best Telugu Film: Chandamama Kathalu
  • Best Rabha Film: Orong
  • Best Haryanvi Film: Pagdi The Honour
  • Best Hindi Film: Queen
  • Best Assamese Film: Othello
  • Best Bengali Film: Nirbashito
  • Best Kannada Film: Harivu
  • Best Konkani Film: Nachom - IA Kumpasar
  • Best Malayalam Film: Ain
  • Best Marathi Film: Killa
  • Best Odiya Film: Aadim Vichar
  • Best Punjabi Film: Punjab 1984

Current Affairs 24 Mar 2015

World Meteorological Day  is observed on 23rd March 2015

• "Climate Knowledge for Climate Action" was the theme for WMD 2015

 Former Army Chief "Sarath Fonseka" became the first Field Marshal of Sri Lanka

Current Affairs 23 Mar 2015

Lee Kuan Yew died on 23rd March 2015

• Lee Kuan Yew, the ‘Founding Father of Singapore’, died on 23rd March 2015. He became the 1st Prime Minister of Singapore in the year 1959.
•  Lee Hsien Loong is the present Prime Minister of Singapore. 

Novak Djokovic won Indian Wells Open Tennis

• Novak Djokovic of Serbia won Indian Wells Open Tennis Men’s on 22nd March 2015 after defeating Roger Federer of Switzerland.
• Simona Halep won the Singles title in Women’s category.

 Dadasaheb Phalke Award - Shashi Kapoor.

Current Affairs 22 Mar 2015

Bharti Airtel partners with AMAZON for cloud services.

India overtakes US as 3rd biggest steel producer.

World Water Day - observed on 22nd March

• World Water Day is observed on 22nd March 2015 under the theme of ‘Water and Sustainable Development’. Earlier in the year 1993, UN designated 22nd March as World Water Day

Rajendra Singh named as Water Prize Laureate

• Rajendra Singh named as 2015 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate on 20th March 2015. He is also known as ‘W

Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis have lifted the Women’s Doubles trophy of the Indian Wells Open Tennis tournament at California.

Current Affairs 21 Mar 2015

       Satwant Atwal Trivedi is BSF’s first woman officer of Himachal Pradesh

• She will be first IPS officer to join the BSF

      Gold Monetisation Scheme Replaces Gold Metal Loan Scheme & Gold Deposit

•  In Gold Monetization Scheme the owner will earn income on the deposited gold and can get Loan also.
  
  Wi-Fi Facilities in Moving Trains Provided by Rail Ministry
• As a pilot project, Wi-Fi in  Howrah-New Delhi-Howrah Rajdhani Express has been provided.

 Further, work for provision of Wi-Fi in Ahmedabad Rajdhani Express, Kalka Shatabdi Express and Chandigarh Shatabdi Express.

23rd All India Forensic Science Conference held at Bhopal

•  “Forensic Science in Countering Crime against Women”is the Theme of this conference.It will be inaugurated by Shri Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs on March 23, 2015. 
  

  The Government of India has approved setting up four Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Regions (PCPIRs)

  The Government of India has approved setting up four Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Regions (PCPIRs) in States of
  1. Andhra Pradesh (Vishakhapatnam – Kakinada)
  2. Gujarat (Dahej)
  3. Odisha (Paradeep)
  4. Tamil Nadu (Cuddalore – Nagapattinam)

Misbah and Shahid Afridi Retire from One Day Cricket

NCP’s Ramraje Nimbalkar elected Maharashtra Legislative Council chairman

•  Ramraje Nimbal karwas the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader elected as the chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council

 Cher Wang, Co-founder of HTC Corporation, has taken over as CEO of HTC Corporation

The theme of World Sparrow Day 2015 - I Love Sparrows

 Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) approved by Union Cabinet

• The Union Cabinet approved the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) with an outlay of 1500 crore rupees. The objective of the programme is to impart skill training to youth with focus on first time entrants to the labour market and class 10 and class 12 drop outs.

  Reservation for women in direct recruitment in Non-Gazetted posts in police forces all Union Territories including Delhi Police

  The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister recently gave its approval for making reservation of 33% for women, horizontally and in each category (SC/ST/OBC and others) in direct recruitment in non-gazetted posts from Constables to sub-inspector in the police forces of all Union Territories, including Delhi Police.

  
  

  • This decision will help in augmenting the representation of the women in the police forces of all UTs and Delhi Police so as to make the police more gender sensitive.
  • It will also instil confidence among women to enable them to approach the police without hesitation for seeking protection and assistance as and when required.
  • It has been observed that many women do not approach the police, as they may have to confide or report the incident to a male police officer. This is particularly so in respect of sex related crimes.

  ICDS scheme

  Five-tier monitoring and review mechanism introduced

  
  

  The Union Minister of Women and Child Development recently said that the Government has introduced a 5-tier monitoring & review mechanism at different levels (National/ State/ District/ Block and Anganwadi level) in order to strengthen the performance of the Integrated Child Development Services Scheme.