National News

Stay Duration in OSC Increased to 10 Days

• The Central Government has increased the stay duration for domestic violence survivors at One-Stop Centers (OSC) from the existing five days to ten days. In special circumstances, this period can be extended up to 15 days.
• Currently, out of 878 approved One-Stop Centers across the country, 802 centers are operational. These centers have provided assistance to over 1.012 million women as of October 31, 2024.

One-Stop Centre (OSC):

Sahityotsav 2025

• The Sahitya Akademi's annual literary festival, Sahityotsav 2025, also known as the 'Festival of Letters', is being held from March 7 to March 12, 2025, at Rabindra Bhavan Complex, New Delhi.
• The festival will witness the participation of over 700 distinguished literary figures, including authors, poets, and thinkers from 24 Indian languages, showcasing the richness and diversity of Indian literature.

Sahityotsav 2025 :

Unveiling of ‘AI Kosha’

• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, has unveiled ‘AI Kosha’.
• AI Kosha will serve as a secure and enriched hub for Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovation, fostering advancements in the field of AI technology.

Other Initiatives Launched :

Seminar on "Health Challenges and a Healthy Lifestyle"

• Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya attended a seminar on "Health Challenges and a Healthy Lifestyle", organized by Arogya Bharati in collaboration with ESIC Medical College & Hospital, Faridabad.
• During the event, he also unveiled the statue of Lord Dhanvantari at the ESIC Medical College & Hospital campus.

Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC):

Comprehensive Tree Census in TTZ

• The Supreme Court has directed the Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun, to conduct a comprehensive tree census in the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ).
• The objective of this initiative is to prevent unauthorized tree felling and ensure compliance with the Uttar Pradesh Trees Protection Act, 1976 in the region.

Supreme Court:

Science and Technology

Explosion in Starship Rocket

• Elon Musk's SpaceX Starship rocket exploded just minutes after launch from Texas. This marks the second consecutive failure of the mission this year.
• Earlier, in October 2024, SpaceX had successfully completed the fifth test flight of its Starship rocket, where the booster made a landing back on the launchpad from a height of 96 km.

Starship Mission :

Invasive plant species Ruellia elegans

• A study has found that Ruellia elegans, an invasive plant from Brazil, was found for the first time in Assam's oil town Digboi.

Related Facts:

Economy and Banking

New Credit Assessment Model Launched for MSMEs

• Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has launched a new credit assessment model for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
• This initiative was announced in the Union Budget 2024-25, aiming to strengthen the internal assessment capabilities of Public Sector Banks (PSBs) in providing loans to MSMEs, thereby reducing dependence on external evaluations.

Related Facts:

Agreement on Corporate Salary Package

• The Dehradun Circle of Punjab National Bank has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Uttarakhand Government regarding the Corporate Salary Package.

Punjab National Bank (PNB):

Defense News

'Shaurya Vedanam Utsav'

• The 'Shaurya Vedanam Utsav' is being organized by the three armed forces in Motihari, East Champaran district of Bihar, starting from March 7, 2025.

Chiefs of Defence Forces:

Awards and Honours

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Honored

• The Caribbean nation of Barbados has conferred Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the 'Honorary Order of Freedom of Barbados'.
• This award has been presented to him in recognition of his strategic leadership and valuable assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Related Facts:

Person In News

Mushfiqur Rahim

• Bangladesh batsman Mushfiqur Rahim has announced his retirement from One Day International (ODI) cricket.
• In his 19-year career, he played 274 ODI matches, scoring 7,795 runs at an average of 36.42, including 9 centuries and 49 half-centuries. He also registered 243 catches and 56 stumpings to his name.

Ajit Ratnakar Joshi

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed Dr. Ajit Ratnakar Joshi as Executive Director (ED), effective from March 3, 2025.
• Before his appointment as ED, Dr. Joshi served as the Principal Adviser in the Department of Statistics and Information Management (DSIM).

Reserve Bank of India (RBI):

Mahesh Chandra Gupta

• Mahesh Chandra Gupta has been appointed as the Director (Marketing) of National Fertilizers Limited (NFL), a public sector enterprise under the Department of Fertilizers.

Related Facts:

Vikram Saxena

• ONGC Board appointed Vikram Saxena as Director (Technology & Field Services).
• His appointment will be effective from 06 March 2025 till the date of his retirement i.e. 31 July 2027 or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) :

Dr. Himanshu Pathak

• Dr. Himanshu Pathak has assumed charge as the Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad, India's only international agricultural research center.

International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT):

Ruchir Aggarwal

• Ruchir Aggarwal has been appointed as the Director (Finance) of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL).
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved his appointment on March 5, based on the proposal of the Department of Defence Production.

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) :

Important Days

‘Jan Aushadhi Diwas’

• ‘Jan Aushadhi Diwas’ is observed annually on March 7 to raise awareness about the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) and promote the use of generic medicines.

Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP):