National:
Insurance (Amendment) Bill, 2021
- The Parliament has passed the Insurance (Amendment) Bill, 2021, with the Lok Sabha approved it on 22 March 2021. The Rajya Sabha has already passed the legislation.
This Bill is to amend the Insurance Act, 1938 which will increase the ceiling limit of foreign investment allowed in Indian insurance companies. The Bill provides to increase the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit from existing 49 percent to 74 percent. It also has a provision for removal of restrictions on ownership and control of insurance companies.
Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021
- Lok Sabha has passed the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021, on 19 March 2021. The amendment in Bill will modify the list of Scheduled Castes in Tamil Nadu.
The Bill replaces the entry for the Devendrakulathan community with Devendrakula Velalar which includes Devendrakulathan, Kalladi, Kudumban, Pallan, Pannadi and Vathiriyan.
The Bill was also cleared in Rajya Sabha on 22 March, 2021.
Acquisition of 74% Stake in Jaiprakash Power Ventures Limited
- Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, under Ministry of Power, Government of India has signed a Share Purchase Agreement with Jaiprakash Power Ventures Limited to acquire 74% stake in Jaypee Powergrid Limited- JV (JPL). Till now Powergrid had a 26 percent stake in the venture. JPL will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Power Grid after the acquisition.
Karnataka Coastline Business Conclave 2021
- Karnataka Coastline Business Conclave 2021 was held on 21 March 2021. It was organised by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
The State Minister for Medium and Heavy Industries Jagadish Shettar was said, Karnataka government has proposed to open airports at Byndoor and Karwar under the UDAN scheme of the Union government.
Karnataka Council of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry presented its awards to eight persons/institutions during the Conclave.
Award Winners:
Outstanding Leadership Award– New Mangaluru Port Trust (NMPT); & Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL)
Lifetime Contribution Award– Nitte Vinay Hegde, Chancellor, Nitte Deemed to be University
The “outstanding contribution award” was presented to four persons. They are Ushaprabha Nayak, vice-president, Expert Group of Institutions, Mangaluru; Pradeep G Pai, Managing Director, Hangyo Ice Creams Pvt Ltd; Bola Surendra Kamath and Sons, Karkala; and Vathika Pai, head, Nirmala Travels, Mangaluru.
Social Entrepreneurship Award– Padmanabha Kamath, an interventional cardiologist
Internationally Important Day:
World Sparrow Day 2021
- World Sparrow Day is celebrated on March 20 every year. The theme for World Sparrow Day is ‘I LOVE Sparrows’. The Day is observed as to raise awareness about the bird, & protect the common house sparrows. The house sparrow is on the verge of extinction.
The initiative was started by Nature Forever Society (NFS) of India, founded by Mohammed Dilawar, an Indian conservationist. He started his work helping the house sparrow in Nashik. The first World Sparrow Day was celebrated in 2010.
Death:
- Renowned Odissi dancer Laxmipriya Mohapatra has died, on 20 March 2021. She was 86.
She started her dancing career at an early age at the Annapurna Theatre in Puri in 1947. She was also acted in four Odia movies.
- Renowned Egyptian Feminist, Psychiatrist and Novelist, Nawal Saadawi died in Cairo, Egypt on March 21, 2021. She was 89.
She was the founder and head of the Arab Women’s Solidarity Association, which was founded in Egypt in 1982. She was also co-founder of the Arab Association for Human Rights. Her famous book “Women and Sex” was published in 1972.