1. World Forestry day observed today !
ii. This day is celebrated for raising as well as promoting awareness about the value of forests. Importance of ecosystem and the forests is stressed upon on this day.
iii. Forests are home to 80 percent of our terrestrial biodiversity.
iv. They produce oxygen and reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and play a key role in curbing climate change.
NOTE: i. India State of Forest Report 2011 revealed that Forest and Tree cover of India encompasses 78.29 million ha or 23.81 percent of geographical area of India.
ii. The largest forest cover in India is in Madhya Pradesh, which has 77700 square km. this is followed by Arunachal Pradesh that has 67410 square km of forest cover.
2. Systems to prevent money laundering in India
i. The Reserve Bank has sought to downplay the money-laundering allegations against three private sector banks, saying the country has a perfect system to prevent such offences and that not a single such transaction took place in the sting operation.
ii. The country's three largest private banks -- ICICI bank, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank -- were last week accused of indulging in money laundering both within and outside with an online portal, Cobrapost, claiming that the sting operationconducted by it had revealed a scam.
iii. Deputy Governor KC Chakrabarty said: There is no scam (that) has happened...as no transaction has taken place." "Let us not unnecessarily downgrade ourself. Our system to prevent money laundering is perfect, absolutely nothing (wrong with it)," . He also said that RBI will further tighten the anti-money laundering norms if needed.
NOTE: i. On 14th March, Cobrapost had released the contents of purported video recording of officials of HDFC, ICICI and Axis Bank allegedly agreeing to receive unverified sums of cash and put them in their investment schemes and benami accounts in violation of anti-money laundering laws.
ii. The footage, taken in 'Operation Red Spider', purportedly showed some executives of the three banks verbally agreeing to take huge amounts of cash from the undercover reporter and putting them into a variety of long-term investment plans so that the black money ultimately is converted into white.
iii. RBI has also initiated scrutiny of the three banks for alleged violation of KYC guidelines.
3. British horror author James Herbert dies at 69
i. British horror writer James Herbert, whose best-selling spine-tinglers included "The Rats" and "The Fog," has died at the age of 69.
ii. His first novel, "The Rats", which depicted a London overrun by mutant flesh-eating rodents, was published in 1974 and sold 100,000 copies in two weeks.
iii. He went on to write 23 novels, selling 54 million copies around the world.
iv. Herbert was named Officer of the Order of the British Empire, or OBE, by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010-the same year he was made ‘Grand Master of Horror’ by the World of Horror Convention.
4. Sanjay Dutt Sentenced to 5-Years Jail Term by the Supreme Court
i. The Supreme Court of India, today sentenced Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt to a sentence of 5 years in jail because of his association with the 1993 bombings in Mumbai.
ii. The decision was given by a bench of Justice PS Sathasivam and BS Chauhan. Sanjay Dutt, 53, was held for acquiring illegal weapons for Mumbai bombings in 1993 which killed 257 people.
iii. The Apex Court upheld his conviction under the Arms Act, but brought down the 6-year imprisonment given by TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act) court to 5 years.
NOTE: i. He has already served 18 months in a jail in Pune, which means that he will have to serve remaining three-and-a-half year sentence.
ii. In 2007, he was found guilty of acquiring AK-56 rifle as well as a pistol illegally. He was one of the high profile people among 100 who were found associated with the bombing trial.
iii. Mumbai bombings took place in 1993. India’s most wanted Dawood Ibrahim was responsible for the bombings.
5. Bhaichung Bhutia Appointed as the Chairman of the AIFF’s Technical Committee
i. Bhaichung Bhutia, the former India captain of the football team was appointed as the chairman of the All India Football Federation’s technical committee.
ii. The decision to appoint him as the chairman was taken by President Praful Patel.
iii. He succeeds former India international Mohammad Habib.
iv. Bhaichung Bhutia’s appointment was made final at last executive committee meeting of the All India Football Federation.
6. Nashik International Film Festival to begin today
i. The fifth edition of the Nashik International Film Festival (NIFF) will start on Thursday.
ii. The festival, which is being organised in memory of the father of the Indian cinema Dadasaheb Phalke and also to mark the centenary year of Indian cinema, will be held between March 21 and 24,"
iii. 88 documentaries and short films, 10 feature films, 22 films made in Malegaon in the district, which is popularly known as "Mollywood", will be screened in the festival.
iv. Besides these, five Australian, 20 French films and seven animation films will be screened during the four-day festival,
7. Prayag United lift IFA Shield
i. Prayag United have dethroned East Bengal to win the 117th IFA Shield.
ii. At Yuva Bharti Kreedangan in Kolkata on wednesday they beat defending champions by one goal to nil in the final.
iii. Prayag have won the Shield for the first time.
8. Senayangba Chubatoshi Jamir new Odisha Governor
i. Veteran Congress leader and former Nagaland Chief Minister Senayangba Chubatoshi Jamir was today sworn-in as the Governor of Odisha
ii. The 82-year-old Jamir, who has been appointed the 44th Governor of Odisha, succeeded Murlidhar Chandrakant Bhandare, whose tenure had ended on August 20 last year but continued in office till appointment of the new head of state.
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