National:
'Medical Termination of Pregnancy' (Amendment) Bill, 2021
- The Rajya Sabha has approved the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2021, on 16th March 2021. The Bill was already approved in Lok Sabha on 17th March 2020.
The Bill is approved to amend the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971.
Some salient features of amendments:
- Enhancing the upper gestation limit from 20 to 24 weeks for special categories of women. It would include survivors of rape, victims of incest, and other vulnerable women (like differently-abled women, minors) etc.
- The opinion of one provider (physician) for termination of pregnancy up to 20 weeks of gestation and the opinion of two providers (physicians) for termination of pregnancy up to 20–24 weeks of gestation will be required.
- Upper limit of gestation will not be applicable in cases of substantial foetal abnormalities diagnosis by the Medical Board.
11th edition of 'India Chem-2021'
- India Chem is one of the largest composite events of the chemical and petrochemical sector in the Asia-Pacific Region.
Inauguration:
Shri D V Sadananda Gowda, Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizer inaugurated the 11th edition of India Chem-2021 on 17th March 2021.
Organized by:
Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, in association with FICCI, organized the 11th edition of India Chem- 2021 from 17th March to 19th March, 2021 in New Delhi.
Theme:
The theme of the India Chem-2021 was “India: Global Manufacturing Hub for Chemicals and Petrochemicals”.
On 19th March, 2021, three bilateral events was organised with the objective to enhance bilateral trade and investment opportunities in the sector.
Three Bilateral Events are:
- India-Japan Chemical and Petrochemical Forum
- India-EU Chemical and Petrochemical Forum and
- India-US Chemical and Petrochemical Forum
Appointment:
Executive Director of Indian Overseas Bank:
- S Srimathy has taken charge as the executive director of Indian Overseas Bank.
Executive Director of Union Bank of India:
- Nitesh Ranjan has taken charge as executive director of the Union Bank of India.
Chairman of the Stop TB Partnership Board
- In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the movement to eradicate Tuberculosis (TB) from India by 2025, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare has been appointed Chairman of the Stop TB Partnership Board.
Dr Harsh Vardhan will take up his position as Chairman of the Stop TB Partnership Board on July 2021 and will have tenure of 3 years.
The Stop TB Partnership is a unique international body with the power to align actors all over the world in the fight against TB. The vision of this board is ‘TB-Free World’. The Stop TB Partnership was formed in the year 2000. The organization’s secretariat is based at Geneva, Switzerland.
International:
MoU Between India & Maldives
- The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, approved a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment of the Republic of Maldives. The MoU was signed for cooperation in Sports and Youth Affairs, on November, 2020.
Objective:
The objective of MoU is to help in expanding knowledge and expertise in the area of sports science, sports medicine, coaching techniques, participation in youth festivals and camps which would result in improvement in performance of our sportspersons in international tournaments. It wills also strengthening the bilateral relations between India and Maldives.
Sports:
First women batter to complete 7000 run in ODI
- Indian women cricket batter Mithali Raj became the first player to complete 7,000 runs in women’s ODI cricket on 14 March 2021.
Death:
- Film Director SP Jananathan died on 14 March 2021 in Chennai. He was 61. He made his debut with Iyarkai in 2003, which went onto win National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil.
- BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh Ram Swaroop Sharma died in Delhi on 17 March 2021. He was elected as MP from Mandi district to the 16th and 17th Lok Sabha in 2014 and 2019, respectively.
