? India private sector bank, RBL Bank (formerly known as Ratnakar Bank ltd) inks partnership with Online food ordering and delivery app Zomato to launch co-branded credit cards, powered by Mastercard.
? Lieutenant Governor GC Murmu launched the Student Health Card scheme in Jammu and Kashmir on March 5, 2020.
? Google on March 5, 2020 announced its plans of launching a Delhi Cloud Region. This will be the technology giant’s second cloud region in India, as it launched its first in the country in Mumbai in 2017. Google’s existing network includes 22 cloud regions across the globe with 8 in the Asia-Pacific region.
? World Wildlife Day is observed globally on 3rd of March every year to celebrate the beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and flora present on earth.
? Western Railways has announced a 5 percent bonus for every recharge to R-Wallet until August 24, 2020. The move is aimed at promoting mobile ticketing.
? India’s top rally driver Gaurav Gill took home a special award at The Federation of Motor Sports Club of India (FMSCI) Awards.
? The Pusa Krishi Vigyan Mela-2020 was inaugurated by the Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in New Delhi.
? The World Bank has unveiled an aid package worth USD 12 billion to help countries combat the coronavirus outbreak. The main aim is to provide fast and effective action to fight the virus. The funds can be used for getting the required medical equipment and health services. According to World Bank President David Malpass, the money will go to countries that request for help.
? Karan Johar was honoured with ‘Iconic Entertainment Leader of the Year’ award at India Business Leader Awards 2020.
? President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the 61st annual Lalit Kala Akademi’s awards upon 15 artists at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on March 4, 2020. The award aims to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions in the field of art.
? Labour of Minister Santosh Gangwar has launched a mobile application named ‘Fuel Humsafar’ for delivery of diesel at doorsteps of Housing societies, hotels and hospitals in the national capital region.
? The Delhi Government has formed a task force under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to monitor and prevent coronavirus outbreak in the capital. The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in India has risen to 30.
? The Supreme Court in a recent ruling allowed trading in virtual currencies such as Bitcoin, lifting the ban imposed by RBI in 2018. The RBI had imposed restrictions on the banks from facilitating banking transactions for virtual currency exchanges and traders.
? The Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Patanjali Bio Research Institute, Haridwar. As per the MoU, the specific work plans will be developed to work on the collaborative research programmes in the areas of national interest related to sustainable agriculture development suitable to different agro-ecologies of the country.
? Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat recently announced that Gairsain will be the summer capital of the state. The people in the state had been demanding to make Gairsain the capital of Uttarakhand for a long time.
? The Janaushadhi week 2020 is being observed in India from 1st to 7th March 2020. To mark the event, the Government has so far distributed over 50,000 Suvidha Sanitary Napkin packets free of cost.
? Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) agency of the Government of India, under the Ministry of Power, has launched star rating programme for Light Commercial Air Conditioners (LCAC) and Deep Freezers, in its 19th foundation day in New Delhi.
? Seema Verma, who is the first Indian-American female administrator of the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, has been appointed as one of the key members in the coronavirus task force set up by President Donald Trump’s administration.
? The Arunachal Pradesh Assembly went paperless with the implementation of e-Vidhan, a project under the Digital India programme. With the implementation of the e-Vidhan project, MLAs can access every information regarding the Assembly, see the list of business and read questions and other documents pertaining to House proceedings through their laptops and tablet computers.
? Luxembourg is the first country in the world that has announced a free public transport system for all. The free public transport will include all fares for trams, trains and buses abolished as of February 29, 2020. The one exception is first-class train travel, which will cost British Pound 2.60 (Euro 3) per journey.
? The multilingual version of “Incredible India” website and mobile app has been launched by the Minister of State (IC) for Tourism & Culture, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel in New Delhi. The new version of the website and mobile app of “Incredible India” has been launched in three new languages i.e. Chinese, Arabic and Spanish.
? The National Security Day is observed every year across India on 4th March. This day is celebrated to honor the contribution of Indian security forces including all security personnel, policemen, paramilitary forces, guards, commandos and army officers.
? The Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) announced that Pune will host the annual session of 108th Indian Science Congress on January 3-7, 2021.
? Union Minister for Home Affairs Amit Shah inaugurated the National Security Guard (NSG) Regional Hub campus at Kolkata, West Bengal. It aims to provide adequate facilities to the brave NSG jawans.
? Former Indian spinner Sunil Joshi has been named as the chairman of BCCI’s national selection panel. He was appointed by the BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) in Mumbai on March 4, 2020. The CAC comprises RP Singh, Madan Lal and Sulakshana Naik. Former Indian pacer Harvinder Singh was also included in the five-member committee.
? Sanjay Kumar Panda has been appointed as the new Ambassador of India to Turkey. He is a 1991 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer and is currently serving as Consulate General of India in San Francisco.
? Shafali Verma has been ranked at the top in the latest ICC women’s T20 International batting rankings. The 16-year-old is the only second Indian woman cricketer after Mithali Raj to top the women’s T20 International rankings.
? The 19th edition of World Productivity Congress (WPC) will be held from May 6 to May 8, 2020, at Bengaluru, Karnataka. World Productivity Congress is the world’s largest convention for productivity development that shape future productivity growth.
? The United States signed a landmark deal with the Taliban, laying out a timetable for a full troop withdrawal from Afghanistan within 14 months as it seeks an exit from its longest-ever war.
? Mumbai will host the International Olympic Committee’s session in 2023 after IOC’s Executive Board recommended the city’s name. The decision will be ratified during the 136th session of the IOC in Tokyo in July 2020.
? Indian-American health policy consultant Seema Verma has been appointed as one of the key members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force constituted by US President Donald Trump.
? India has entered the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020, after its semi-final with England got rained out in Sydney. This is India’s maiden Women’s T20 World Cup final. The second semi-final will be played on March 5 between Australia and South Africa in Sydney. The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in Melbourne on March 8, 2020 from 12.30 pm IST.
? New Zealand pacer Tim Southee has become the first bowler to dismiss India captain Virat Kohli 10 times in international cricket.
? Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins took three wickets in the first of the three ODIs against South Africa to complete 100 ODI wickets.
? The Khelo India University Games concluded in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Punjab University, Chandigarh took home the champions trophy-winning 46 medals including 17 gold, 19 silver, and 10 bronze.
? India’s fastest woman Dutee Chand clinched gold in 100m dash while long distance runner Narendra Pratap Singh bagged his second title at Khelo India University Games at Bhubaneswar.