19 March 2013 Current Affairs
RBI cuts repo rate by 0.25%
On March 19th, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cut the repo rate by 0.25% i.e. from 7.75% to 7.5% in its mid-quarter review of the monetary policy. The change of the Repo rate is aimed to prompt growth and revive investment. But the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) remains unchanged i.e. retained at 4 per cent.
Lok Sabha passes the anti-rape bill
On 19 March Lok Sabha passed a Bill which provides for natural life term or even death for repeat offenders of rape and other stringent punishment for various offences like stalking, voyeurism and acid attacks.The bill with an aim of providing a strong deterrent against rapes and gang rapes, the Bill states that an offender can be sentenced to rigourous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than 20 years, but which may extend to life, meaning imprisonment for the remainder of that person’s natural life and with a fine.Rape has been made a gender-specific crime only a woman can be its victim and it replaces the more general expression “sexual assault” used in the ordinance. It also provides for the death sentence if the rape victim dies or ends up in a vegetative state.
Vice President of India Released a Book on Former President of India
On March 19th, the Vice President of India, Hamid Ansari released a book titled “The First Woman President of India, Reinventing leadership, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil”.The book is written on the former President of India, Pratibha Devisingh Patil by Professor Sunaina Singh.The book is not just a biography of the former President, Pratibha Devisingh Patil but also highlights various kinds of issues in India.
Prestigious bioscience award(N-BIOS Prize) for IICT scientist
On 19th March, Dr S Venkata Mohan, senior scientist, Bioengineering and Environmental Centre (BEEC), CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad had been conferred the prestigious National Bioscience Award for the year 2012 by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), government of India for his outstanding research contribution in developing new technologies for the production of clean bio-fuels from waste.The National Bio-science Award for Career Development or N-BIOS Prize is a coveted honour conferred by the Government of India.
Cabinet Approved Food Security Bill
On 19 March the union cabinet has approved the National Food Security Bill which aims to give the right to food to around 67% of India’s 1.2 billion people.The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in December 2011 and had been sent to a parliamentary standing committee for further consideration.In the bill, the government had proposed 7 kg of grain per month per person to priority households and at least 3 kg of foodgrain at half the price for general households.