Current Affairs - March 16, 2020 Current Affairs

Justice Bansi Lal Bhat appointed as the officiating chairperson of NCLAT (National Company Law Appellate Tribunal).

On February 16, 2020, the United States Reserve Bank announced that the key interest rates are to be slashed to 0% to 0.25%. This is being done in response to growing impact of Corona Virus. This is the second emergency cut by the reserve bank in less than two weeks.

World Health Organisation declares Europe as epicentre of coronavirus pandemic.

On March 14, 2020, the Kerala Government ordered poultry culling. Parappanagadi has been identified as the Epicenter of bird flu. The Government of Kerala is to cull poultry within one-kilometer radius.

World Consumer Rights Day is observed on 15 March. The consumer movement marks 15 March with World Consumer Rights Day every year. The day aims to raise global awareness about consumer rights and needs. The day aims to demand that the rights of all consumers are respected and protected, and to protest against market abuses and social injustices which undermine those rights

The Agharkar Research Institute of Pune has isolated 45 strains of methanotrophic bacteria. These bacteria are capable of reducing methane emissions in rice plants. Apart from isolating the strains, the scientists have also created methanotrophic culture. The isolated bacteria were from southern and western India.

Bandhan Bank to invest Rs 300 crore for equity stake in troubled Yes Bank under RBI's reconstruction scheme.

Prachi Salve of India Spend and Pradeep Dwivedi of Dainik Jagran jointly awarded first prize on road safety reporting by New Delhi-based Centre for Media Studies (CMS).

GST Council meeting chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi. GST rate on mobile phones and specific parts raised from 12% to 18%. One rate of GST at 12% for both hand-made (5% earlier) and machine-made matchsticks (18% earlier). GST rate on Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services for aircrafts reduced from 18% to 5%.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development recently released a report on the effect of COVID-19 on global economy. According to the report India was ranked 10th.

Recruitment in railways, banks and lower levels of Central government to be done through Common Eligibility Test (CET) from 2021, National Recruitment Agency (NRA) to conduct this online test.

2020 Chameli Devi Jain Award for outstanding woman journalist jointly awarded to Arfa Khanum Sherwani of The Wire and Bengaluru-based freelancer Rohini Mohan.

90% of all people have 'a deeply ingrained bias' against women according to the UNDP Gender Social Norms Index.

Malayalam scholar and Sahitya Akademi award winner Puthussery Ramachandran dies at 91 in Thiruvananthapuram.

With more than 80 confirmed COVID-19 cases, India has declared "notified Disaster". With this, the SDRF funds are to be temporarily used for supply of food, medical care and water for patients in quarantine camps. SDRF funds are State Disaster Response Funds. The SDRF funds were constituted by Disaster Management Act, 2005. It was recommended by 13th Finance Commission.