1. *Amarnath Yatra To Commence From June 28; ‘No Threat’ Assures J&K DGP Dilbag Singh.*
2. *The “Gram Ujala Scheme” launched to provide the cheapest LED bulbs in the rural areas.* The scheme was launched by the Union power and new and renewable energy minister, Raj Kumar Singh.
3. *States can pass resolutions against Central laws: Supreme Court* on Friday prima facie found no harm in State Legislative Assemblies, such as those in Kerala and West Bengal, passing resolutions against Central laws like the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act or the controversial new farm laws.
4. *Former CM of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis demanded Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh’s scalp post the allegations levelled by ex-Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.* In a letter addressed to Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, Singh refuted Deshmukh’s remarks that his transfer was due to serious lapses in the Antilia bomb scare case.
5. *The West Bengal CID on Saturday took over the investigation into the Nandigram incident in which Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was injured during her election campaign,*
6. *Assam polls: Congress manifesto promises 5 lakh jobs, no CAA, loan waivers for women & farmers* : ex-Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Saturday, unveiled the party’s manifesto for the upcoming Assam polls.
7. *Dattatreya Hosabale replaces Bhaiyyaji Joshi as RSS gen secy*: Karnataka born Dattatreya Hosabale was elected as the’Sarkaryawah’ (general secretary) of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
8. *Indian Research team planned to conduct the airborne radar surveys in order to estimate the thickness of Himalayan glaciers.* Under the plan, the pilot study will be conducted in the Lahaul – Spiti basin of the Himachal Pradesh. This proposal was initiated by the “National Centre for Polar & Ocean Research (NCPOR)” under the Ministry of Earth Sciences”.
9. *Himachal Pradesh government bans organisation of official mela:* to check spread of the virus but the ongoing melas would continue by adopting the SOPs. In the state only 50 percent gatherings (both indoor and out-door) with a maximum number of 200 for indoor must be ensured in the social gatherings. CM Jai Ram Thakur said.
10. The Jharkhand government has launched the “SAAMAR Campaign” which stands for “Strategic Action for Alleviation of Malnutrition and Anaemia Reduction” campaign recently.
11. *Tamil Nadu* has witnessed a sudden surge in COVID-19 cases over the last few days. In view of this surge, the *state government on Saturday (March 20) ordered the closure of schools for classes 9, 10 and 11 from March 22 until further orders* .
12. Maharashtra Board exams for SSC (class 10) and HSC (class 12) will take place offline. The state education minister Varsha Gaikwad made the announcement on Saturday (March 20). It means that students will have to physically go to the exam centres to appear for it.
13. *INAS 310 of the Indian Navy based at Goa is celebrating its Diamond Jubilee on 21 Mar 21*
Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 310, The Cobras, a maritime reconnaissance squadron of the Indian Navy based at Goa is celebrating its Diamond Jubilee on 21 Mar 21. Commissined at Hyéres, France on 21 Mar 61, the squadron holds the distinction of being the most decorated unit of the Indian Navy.
14. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s son Aaditya Thackeray tests COVID-19 positive
*✈INTERNATIONAL NEWS*
1. *PM Modi wishes Pakistan PM Imran Khan speedy recovery after he tests positive for COVID-19*
2. *Indo-US defence heads discuss wide range of cooperation* : The Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his US counterpart Secretary of Defence Llyod J Austin on Saturday discussed wide range of defence cooperation and expanding military-to-military engagement across services, information sharing, cooperation in emerging sectors of defence, and mutual logistics support.
3. *Abu Dhabi Airport has launched rapid free Covid-19 PCR testing for all arrivals, except those in transit, with results provided in around 90 minutes*
4. *The Indian Embassy in Beijing participated in the “Nowruz” which was held at the Secretariat of “Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)” in Beijing, China on March 20, 2021* Nowruz is the Iranian and Persian New Year Festival.
5. India and France are working on the “Third Joint Satellite Mission” at the time when the bilateral space collaboration between both the country is entering into multiple domains even in the human spaceflight programme.
6. A stone from Sita Eliya, the place in Sri Lanka where Goddess Sita is believed to have been held captive, will be used in the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and serve as a pillar of strength for India-Lanka ties, the Indian high commission in Colombo said.
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