• The Press Council of India (PCI) asked the media to give objective reports about the election and cautioned it against the phenomenon of paid news. 

• Issuing guidelines for the media, PCI said, newspapers are not expected to indulge in unhealthy election campaigns, exaggerated reports about any candidate or party during the elections. 

• The print media watchdog also cautioned the press to eschew reports which tend to promote feelings or enmity or hatred between people on the grounds of region, religion, race, caste, community or language. 

• The press should refrain from publishing false or critical statements in regard to the personal character and conduct of any candidate or in relation to the candidature or withdrawal of any candidate or candidature, to prejudice the prospects of that candidate in the elections, PCI in a statement read.

• The PCI also cautioned against publishing unverified allegations against any candidate or party.

 

 

• President Ram Nath Kovind has called for a nuanced approach to ensure that higher education not only fulfils individual aspirations but also achieves national goals and priorities. 

• He was releasing the national ranking of higher institutes by the Ministry of Human Resources Development in New Delhi.

• The President said that the ranking system fosters a spirit of healthy competition between institutions. 

• Indian Institute of Technology Madras topped the rankings while the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore bagged the second rank followed by IIT Delhi. 

• Out of ten top institutes, seven are IITs. Jawaharlal Nehru University got the seventh rank and Banaras Hindu University bagged the tenth spot.

• Delhi University`s Miranda House was ranked the best among colleges across the country, while the varsity`s St Stephen`s College was ranked fourth. 

• AIIMS has been ranked first among medical sciences institutes and National Law School, Bangalore has topped law colleges. 

 

 

• The Supreme Court asked the CBI to apprise it of the status of the ongoing trial in a case involving former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in connection with a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. The court listed his bail plea for hearing on 15th of this month.

• The CBI told a bench of Justices S A Bobde and S A Nazeer that Sajjan Kumar, who was a sitting MP in 1984, was the kingpin of the massacre of Sikhs in the national capital in 1984. 

• Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, told the bench, it would be a travesty of justice if Kumar is enlarged on bail as he is facing trial in another 1984 anti-Sikh riots case at Patiala House district court.

• The bench said that it would hear on 15th April bail plea of Kumar, who was convicted and sentenced to life term by the Delhi High Court in connection with a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

• Anti-Sikh riots had broken out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, by her two Sikh bodyguards.

 

 

• The CBI opposed the bail plea of RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in the Supreme Court who is serving jail term in connection with fodder scam cases. 

• The CBI told a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi that Lalu Yadav would misuse the bail for political activities ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. 

• The CBI also said that grant of bail in cases of corruption in high offices would set a very wrong precedent. 

• The CBI further said that Lalu Yadav has been in a hospital ward for over eight months and indulging in political activities. It told the apex court the total period of sentence awarded to Yadav was 168 months. But he has undergone only 20 months. The court will hear Yadav`s bail plea tomorrow.

• The RJD chief, lodged in the Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi, has challenged the January 10 verdict of the Jharkhand High Court dismissing his bail plea.

• He has been convicted in three cases related to the over 900 crore rupees fodder scam during his tenure as Chief Minister of Bihar. 

• Lalu Yadav is also facing trial in another fodder scam. He is currently undergoing treatment at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) at Ranchi for the last few months.

 

 

• According to the World Economic Outlook (WEO) report released by International Monetary Fund (IMF), India’s growth rate is estimated to rise from 7.3% in 2019 to 7.5% in 2020 provided it receives impetus from the fiscal policy and is backed by the ongoing recovery of investment and consumption within expanded approach of monetary policy.

• As per the report, India’s growth rate was 7.1% in 2018 against China’s 6.6%. India will remain the fastest growing major economy in the world.

• According to the report, India’s growth is approximated to stabilise at just under 7¾ over the medium term. This will be possible when structural reforms will continuously be implemented and infrastructure gridlocks would be eased.

• In India, growth is projected to pick up to 7.3 percent in 2019 and 7.5 percent in 2020, supported by the continued recovery of investment and robust consumption amid a more expansionary stance of monetary policy and some expected impetus from fiscal policy,” the report said.

• Nevertheless, reflecting the recent revision to the national account statistics that indicated somewhat softer underlying momentum, growth forecast have been revised downward compared with the October 2018 WEO by 0.1 percentage point for 2019 and 0.2 percentage point for 2020, respectively," it said.

• The World Economic Outlook believes that in India, continued implementation of structural and financial sector reforms with efforts to reduce public debt remain essential to secure the economy`s growth prospects.

 

 

• The Embassy of India in Nepal has issued an advisory for Indian citizens planning to perform Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Nepal. 

• The Embassy has advised pilgrims to get appropriate Chinese visa and Travel Permit for Tibet before commencing the journey. 

• The Chinese Visa is to be obtained from the Embassy of China in New Delhi and not from the Embassy of China in Kathmandu. 

• They should ensure that travel agent has obtained Restricted Area Permit for Simikot/Hilsa or Rasuwagidhi in Nepal as per their itinerary/route.

• Pilgrims should also ensure that they have adequate/necessary insurance coverage to meet all exigencies including high altitude sickness, emergency medical relief, evacuation and extended stay. 

• Pilgrims are advised to halt at all designated acclimatization points along the journey to reduce health risks arising from a change in altitude or oxygen levels. All pilgrims should conduct a thorough medical examination before embarking on the Yatra. There are minimal/no medical facilities in Simikot/Hilsa. Pilgrims should carry adequate medicines for duration of tour and reserve supply for at least another 10 days. 

• Simikot and Hilsa do not have ATM facilities so yatris should carry adequate cash to meet any emergency. Pilgrims should carry SIM Card with international roaming facility. 

• It is advisable to install messenger applications like WhatsApp, Viber and wechat to remain in constant communication even from places with poor or no mobile connectivity but having Wi-Fi. 

• These areas have basic or minimal tourist infrastructure for a modest number of travellers/pilgrims so be prepared to stay in hotels/lodges with basic food/lodging including dormitories. Simikot/Hilsa route is connected only through air requiring fair weather/visibility to remain open. Hence pilgrims should be prepared to face delays, maybe for days, at all points due to inclement weather. Pilgrims should avoid travel during or near full moon days. 

• The yatra experiences a high density of travellers and overbooking during full moon days leading to constraints on resources and incidents of pilgrims being stranded in Simikot and Hilsa. Yatris may take note of the weather forecast and avoid travelling during heavy rain or inclement weather.  Pilgrims should avoid undertaking Mt Kailash parikrama if health does not permit. Mt Kailash parikrama involves extensive trekking through high altitudes and passes. 

 

 

• India has built a 25-bed maternity hospital in Nepal. The hospital has been built under the Government of India`s Small Development Projects Scheme.

• Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri inaugurated the Chandra Narayan Yadav Memorial Maternity Hospital in Siraha district. 

• The Hospital will provide quality maternity and health care services to the people of 50 Village Development Committees in and around Siraha district. It will also help in reducing maternal and child mortality rate. 

• The Hospital will be run by the Chandra Narayan Yadav Memorial Trust on no profit-no loss basis. The new infrastructure has been constructed with the Government of India’s grant of 26.90 million Nepali Rupees.

• It has a minor and major OTs, ICU, CCU, rooms for doctors, nurses, store and administration and medical equipment etc. Health is one of the core areas of cooperation between India and Nepal. Several health posts, nursing campuses maternity centres, eye hospitals, naturopathy hospitals have been undertaken under the Government of India`s Small Development Project scheme. 

 

 

• According to data released by the AMFI (Association of Mutual Funds in India), India’s asset management companies have owned assets under management worth Rs. 24.46 trillion.

• SBI Asset Management climbed two places from the fifth to the third spot with an AUM of 2.83 trillion.

• Out of the total industry assets, a huge 82.7% is owned by the top 10 AMCs, who have owned around 80% of the industry assets over at least three years now

• India’s asset management companies (AMCs) own assets under management (AUM) worth 24.46 trillion, according to data released by the Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi), a mutual fund industry lobby, for the January-March period. Out of the total industry assets, a huge 82.7% is owned by the top 10 AMCs, who have owned around 80% of the industry assets over at least three years now. We have taken AUM numbers, excluding domestic fund-of-funds, from Amfi.

• HDFC Asset Management Co. Ltd has claimed the top spot with an average AUM of 3.42 trillion, overtaking ICICI Prudential Asset Management Co. Ltd with an average AUM of at 3.20 trillion. HDFC AMC saw a solid AUM growth of 14%.SBI Asset Management Co. Ltd climbed two places from the fifth to the third spot with an AUM of 2.83 trillion.

 

 

• As per the Indian Steel Association, India’s steel demand is grown by over 7 percent in 2019 and 2020, due to the sectors like construction, capital goods, and railways.

• India`s steel demand is likely to grow by over 7 percent in 2019 and 2020, driven by sectors like construction, capital goods and railways, as per the Indian Steel Association.

• "The Indian Steel Association has forecast India`s steel demand to grow by 7.1 percent in the calendar year 2019 and by 7.2 percent in the calendar year 2020," the domestic steel body said.

• As for the financial year, the forecast for steel demand growth is 7.2 percent in both 2019-20 and 2020-21, the Indian Steel Association said.

• It also forecast that India`s steel consumption is likely to cross 100 million tonnes (MT) mark in 2019.

• Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh has earlier this year said that growth trend in steel consumption in India will continue, due to the strong manufacturing sector, diversified demand demographics, accelerated expenditure on infrastructure, the anticipated increase in GDP and a strong focus on `Make in India`.

• "Investment driven sectors such as construction, capital goods and railways are likely to maintain the healthy growth momentum driven by infrastructure programmes such as Bharatmala, Sagarmala, railway track electrification, dedicated freight corridors, metro rails, etc," the statement said.

• The forecast for steel demand growth is 7.1 percent in 2019 and by 7.2 percent in 2020. The consumption of steel in India is likely to cross 100 million tonnes (MT) mark in 2019. This growth is also due to some infrastructure programmes such as Bharatmala, Sagarmala, railway track electrification, dedicated freight corridors, metro rails, etc.

 

 

• Allahabad High Court judge, Justice Vikram Nath appointed as the first Chief Justice of new Andhra Pradesh High Court at Amaravati by the collegium of Supreme Court containing Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and justice S A Bobde and justice N V Ramana.

• The new high court for Andhra Pradesh was established on 1 January 2019, following its creation, the High Court has been guarded by Acting Chief Justice Chagari Praveen Kumar.

• Senior judge of Allahabad high court, Justice Vikram Nath, was appointed as the first Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court. A collegium of Supreme Court comprising Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and judges S A Bobde and N V Ramana recommended the name of Justice Nath as the chief justice of the AP High Court.

• Fifty-six-year-old Justice Nath, who obtained a law degree in 1986, enrolled himself as a practising lawyer in Allahabad in March 1987. He was appointed an additional judge of the Allahabad High Court in 2004 and was elevated to the post of a permanent judge in 2006.

• The new high court for Andhra Pradesh was created on January 1 this year, following the bifurcation of a combined high court for AP and Telangana, which had been operating from Hyderabad since June 2, 2014, when the two Telugu states got separated.