Current Affairs One - liner : 15th March 2024

• National:
• On March 13, 2024, the Maharashtra Cabinet approved the renaming of eight railway stations in Mumbai. The stations and their new names are: Mumbai Central to Jagannath Shankar Seth, Curry Road to Lalbagh, Sandhurst Road to Dongri, Marine Lines to Mumba Devi, Charni Road to Girgaon, Cotton Green to Black Chowki, Kings Circle to Tirthankara Parshvanath, and Dockyard Road to Mazgaon.

• The Digital Criminal Case Management System (CCMS) and the new branch offices of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Jammu and Kochi, along with a residential complex in Raipur, were launched by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on 14th March 2024
• International:
• The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that could lead to a ban on TikTok. This bill requires ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to sell its controlling stake in TikTok within six months, or the app would be blocked in the U.S. TikTok’s CEO has warned that this could result in the loss of 300,000 American jobs. The situation may change, so it’s best to check reliable news sources for the most current information.
• Banking:
• On March 11, 2024, SEBI expanded the Qualified Stock Brokers (QSBs) framework and mandated index providers’ registration. The provisions for index providers will be effective from the 180th day since March 8, 2024.
• On March 12, 2024, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) directed Federal Bank and South Indian Bank to stop issuing new co-branded credit cards due to regulatory deficiencies. The banks are working to rectify these issues and will continue to service existing co-branded cardholders.
• The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $23 million loan agreement on March 14, 2024. The loan will be used to establish an International Fintech Institute (IFI) at the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT-City). The IFI will offer fintech training programmes, support startups, and drive fintech research and innovation.
• Index & Ranking:
• In the 2022 Gender Inequality Index (GII) released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), India made significant strides, improving its rank by 14 places from 122nd to 108th. This improvement was announced on 13th March, 2024. Meanwhile, Denmark secured the top spot in the index, showcasing the least gender inequality among the surveyed countries.
• Reports:
• The ‘One Nation, One Election’ panel, led by former President Ram Nath Kovind, submitted its report to President Droupadi Murmu on March 14, 2024. The report recommends simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies. It suggests that in case of a hung House or no-confidence motion, fresh polls can be held for the remainder of the five-year term. The panel believes that simultaneous elections will enhance transparency, inclusivity, voter confidence, and spur the development process.
• Apps & Portals:
• The ‘Pradhan Mantri Samajik Utthan and Rozgar Adharit Jankalyan’ (PM-SURAJ) is a national portal launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 13th March, 2024. It aims to provide a one-stop platform for marginalized sections of society to access credit support and employment opportunities.
• Govt. Schemes:
• The Chief Minister of Telangana, Anumula Revanth Reddy, launched the ‘Indiramma Indlu’ Housing Scheme on March 11, 2024. The scheme aims to provide housing benefits to the underprivileged in the state. Under this scheme, the government will provide Rs 5 lakh financial assistance to those who already own a housing plot and a piece of land and Rs 5 lakh to those who do not possess a plot. The scheme is part of the implementation of the ‘Six Guarantees’ and is expected to benefit many people in the state.
• Sports:
• On March 14, 2024, Mumbai clinched the Ranji Trophy after an 8-year hiatus. The final match was held at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, where Mumbai triumphed over Vidarbha by a margin of 169 runs. This victory marked Mumbai’s 42nd championship win, further establishing their dominance in Indian domestic cricket.
• Appointments:
• Rahul Singh, a senior bureaucrat and a 1996-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Bihar cadre, was appointed as the new chairperson of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on March 13, 2024.
• Books:
• Union Minister Shri Parshottam Rupala released a book and a video on “Sagar Parikrama” on 15th March 2024 in Rajkot, Gujarat. The book and video document the Sagar Parikrama Yatra, a journey that covered 7,986 Kilometres of India’s coastal length, touching 3,071 fishing villages of 80 coastal districts.
• The book ‘Israel War Diary’ by Vishal Pandey was unveiled on March 15, 2024. It provides an in-depth account of the Israel-Hamas war from the perspective of a reporter on the ground. The author, Vishal Pandey, was the first Indian journalist to reach Israel from India when the war started. The book was unveiled by Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur.
• Obituaries:
• Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas, the former Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy, passed away at the age of 90 on March 15, 2024. He was a decorated officer, known for his role in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war, and a peace activist post-retirement.
• Renowned Rabindra Sangeet singer Sadi Mohammad passed away on March 13, 2024, at his residence in Mohammadpur. He was around 70 years old and was a respected figure in the music industry.

Questions:

Q.1 Which country secured the top spot in the 2022 Gender Inequality Index (GII)?
a. India
b. United States
c. Denmark
d. Australia
Q.2 Who is the author of the book ‘Israel War Diary’?
a. Anurag Singh Thakur
b. Vishal Pandey
c. Israel-Hamas
d. None of the above