Current Affairs National International Business Sports

1. CURRENT AFFAIRS
20 March 2024
Dr.A.PRABAHARAN
Professor & Research Director
Public action
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2. PM Modi Says India’s Startup Ecosystem Is Flourishing At An
Unprecedented Pace Backed By Innovative Spirit Of Country’s
Youth Power
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India’s Startup ecosystem
is flourishing at an unprecedented pace backed by the innovative
spirit of country’s youth power.
 Addressing the ‘Startup Mahakumbh’ at Bharat Mandapam on the
third day , the Prime Minister said that today, when the country is
working on the roadmap for a developed India by 2047, this Startup
Mahakumbh is of great importance.
 He said, in the last decade, India has seen as to how it has made
strides in the IT and software sector and now , people are seeing the
trend of innovation and start-up culture in India.
 Mr Modi mentioned that Startup India initiative has given a platform
to innovative ideas and connected them to funding. He added that
India’s youth has chosen the path of being job creator rather than job
seeker.
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3.  Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has been given an
additional charge of the Ministry of Food Processing
Industries after Union Minister and Rashtriya Lok
Janshakti Party Chief Pashupati Kumar Paras resigned
from the Union Cabinet yesterday.
 The President’s office today said that President
Droupadi Murmu has accepted the resignation of Mr.
Paras with immediate effect.
 Mr Rijiju is currently holding the charge of Ministry of
Earth Sciences.
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Union Minister Kiren Rijiju Gives Additional Charge Of Ministry Of
Food Processing Industries

4. Jharkhand Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan Takes
Charge As Telangana Governor
 Jharkhand Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan took charge as
Telangana governor this morning at a function at Raj
Bhavan in Hyderabad. Telangana high court Chief
Justice Alok Aradhe administered the oath of office on
the occasion.
 Earlier, State Chief Secretary Shanti Kumari read out the
warrant of appointment on the occasion. Chief Minister
A Revanth Reddy, several ministers, public
representatives and senior officials attended the event.
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5. Vigil Stepped Up In Mancherial And Gadchiroli Districts
 In Telangana, vigil has been stepped up in Mancherial district and
neighbouring districts following Yesterday’s exchange of fire
between security forces and the outlawed Leftwing organisation,
CPI (Maoist), in neighbouring Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra.
 The exchange of fire left four Maoists, including two divisional
committee members from Telangana, dead.
 The four deceased Maoists carried a collective cash reward of 36
lakh rupees declared by the Maharashtra government on their
heads.
 Meanwhile, drone-aided surveillance has been intensified along
the riverine stretch of the Telangana-Maharashtra border by
Telangana’s Mancherial district police to ensure peaceful conduct of
Lok Sabha elections in Telangana scheduled on 13th of May.
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6. Gross Direct Tax Collection Registeres Growth Of 18.74 % During
Current Financial Year
 Gross Direct Tax collection has registered a growth of 18.74 percent during the
current Financial Year.
 According to the Finance Ministry, gross direct tax collection stands at over 22
lakh 27 thousand crore rupees which is more than 18 lakh 75 thousand crore
rupees reported in the corresponding period of financial year 2022-23.
 The Gross collection includes Corporation Tax, Personal Income Tax, and
Securities Transaction Tax among others.
 Over 10 lakh 98 thousand crore rupees were collected as Corporation Tax while
the Personal Income Tax including Securities Transaction Tax was reported over
11 lakh 25 thousand crore rupees. Advance Tax collection stands at over nine lakh
11 thousand crore rupees.
 The Finance Ministry said, refunds amounting to three lakh 36 thousand 808
crore rupees have also been issued in the Financial Year 2023-24 which is 12.74
percent higher in comparison to the refunds issued during the same period in the
preceding year.
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7. EU & UN Say, Hong Kong’s New National Security Bill Is Deeply
Worrying And Could Erode Fundamental Freedoms In China-
Ruled City
 The European Union and the United Nations said Hong Kong’s
new national security bill is deeply worrying and could erode
fundamental freedoms in the China-ruled city. UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk in a statement said
that it is alarming that such consequential legislation was rushed
through the legislature despite serious concerns raised about
the incompatibility of many of its provisions with international
human rights law.
 The package, known as Article 23, punishes offences including
treason, sabotage, sedition, the theft of state secrets, external
interference and espionage with sentences ranging from several
years to life imprisonment.
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8.  US officials have stressed that newly-approved legislation providing billions of
dollars in funding for three strategically important Pacific island nations is an
important sign of American commitment.
 The legislation comes amid warnings that China is actively trying to pry them
away from Washington’s sphere of influence.
 The renewal of funds for the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia
and the Republic of Palau – known collectively as the Freely Associated States –
had been held up for months by broader infighting in the Congress over
budgetary issues.
 The 7.1 billion dollars in aid was approved on March 9 this year.
 The new pact comes amid an American diplomatic push in the region, which
gained new impetus when the Solomon Islands signed a security pact with China
in 2022.
 Under this Compacts of Free Association (COFA) agreement, citizens of the three
nations have the right to live and work in the US among other benefits.
 The first COFA agreement was signed with the US in the 1980s, and it has already
been renewed once.
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US Officials Stress That Newly-Approved Legislation Providing
Billions Of Dollars In Funding For Three Pacific Island Nations

9.  In Badminton, Ace Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen has climbed five
places to become the world number 13 in the men’s singles
category.
 The leap in the BWF ranking follows his impressive run at the
French Open and the prestigious All England Open.
 Sen reached the semi finals of both tournaments. With this, Sen
solidified his place in the race to the 2024 Paris Olympics. The top
16 players of the BWF ranking can make the cut.
 In men’s doubles, Star duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag
Shetty maintained their world number one spot.
 In women’s doubles, the pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha
Crasto moved three places up to become world number 20 while
another Indian pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand dropped
four places to become the world number 26.
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Badminton: Ace Indian Shuttler Lakshya Sen Climbs Five Places To Become
World Number 13 In Men’s Singles Category

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