Today's Current Affairs 16th March 2024

INTERNATIONAL

UK tests a laser weapon that can hit a coin from a kilometer

• Britain has recently conducted successful test firings of its DragonFire Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW). 

NATIONAL

Rajasthan Government to Distribute Free Millet Seeds to Farmers

• The Rajasthan government has decided to distribute free seeds of millets and coarse grains to the state’s farmers. This move aims to boost millet production in the state.
• Rajasthan has a 26% share in the total millet production of the country.
• Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi was launched on February 24, 2019. 

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

B Sairam is the New Chairman and Managing Director of NCL

• B Sairam has been appointed as the new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL). NCL is the Singrauli-based flagship Subsidiary of Coal India Limited. 

SUMMITS AND MOU’S

Max India’s subsidiary partners with IIT Delhi for senior citizen care

• Max India Ltd announced a strategic partnership between its subsidiary, Antara Assisted Care Services Limited, and the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi). 

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Chameli Devi Jain Award 2024 for Outstanding Woman Media Person

• The prestigious Chameli Devi Jain Award 2024 for Outstanding Woman Media Person of the Year has been given jointly to two remarkable journalists:
• Greeshma Kuthar – Independent Journalist
• Ritika Chopra – Indian Express
• The Chameli Devi Jain Award for Outstanding Woman Media Person of the Year was set up by The Media Foundation in 1980.
• The first award was given in 1982, and since then, it has been presented annually. 

Ratan Tata Awarded PV Narasimha Rao Memorial Award for Philanthropy Work

• Ratan Tata, former chairman of Tata Sons, has been bestowed with the prestigious PV Narasimha Rao Memorial Award.
• He received the award for his outstanding philanthropic contributions.
• The award ceremony took place in Mumbai on March 15, 2024.
• On February 9, 2024, the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, was posthumously conferred upon former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao. 

RANKING

India’s Human Development Index ranking 134 out of 193 countries: A Detailed Analysis

• India’s position in the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) for 2022 improved slightly, ranking 134 out of 193 countries with an HDI value of 0.644.
• India has shown progress in reducing gender inequality, ranking 108 out of 166 countries in the Gender Inequality Index (GII) 2022. 

Tamil Nadu Tops Illegal Trade in Shark Body Parts

• Tamil Nadu dominates the illegal trade in shark body parts, comprising nearly 65% of seizures between January 2010 and December 2022, as per a recent analysis by TRAFFIC and WWF-India.
• TRAFFIC and WWF-India conducted a comprehensive study titled ‘Netted in illegal wildlife trade: Sharks of India’.
• WWF India was established in 1969. 

V-Dem Institute’s Democracy Report 2024: India’s Decline into Electoral Autocracy

• The V-Dem Institute’s Democracy Report 2024 highlights India’s continued descent into electoral autocracy since its downgrade in 2018.
• V-Dem Established in 2014 by Staffan Lindberg, a Swedish political scientist. 

BANKING AND ECONOMY

Adani Green Energy operationalises 126 MW wind power plant in Gujarat

• Adani Green Energy announced the operationalisation of an additional 126 MW capacity in its 300 MW wind power project in Gujarat. This comes after the earlier operationalisation of 174 MW.
• Food regulator FSSAI certifies nearly 100 jails as ‘Eat Right Campus’
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has certified nearly 100 jails across the nation as ‘Eat Right Campus,’ a part of its broader Eat Right India movement.