Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur today inaugurated the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships in New Delhi. The Boxing Federation of India is hosting the prestigious tournament from the 15th to the 26th of March.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Thakur said, 324 women boxers from about 65 countries are taking part in the championship in 12 weight categories. He said, India has risen to the third position from 44th position in the latest International Boxing Association, IBA world rankings. 

India and the World Bank have signed a loan agreement for the construction of the Green National Highway Corridors Project in four States. These States are Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. The agreement has been signed for the construction of 781 kilometers in these States, with loan assistance of 500 million dollars.
 
In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said, the total project cost is over seven thousand 662 crore rupees. He said, the objective of the Green National Highway Corridors Project is to demonstrate safe and green highways keeping in view climate resilience and use of green technologies. 

A Memorandum of Cooperation, MoC was signed between India and Sweden to strengthen cooperation and promote research networking between research institutions from both countries. It was signed between Science and Engineering Research Board and the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education, Stockholm, Sweden. The MoC aims to promote mobility funding opportunities in both countries. It will facilitate academic cooperation through mobility activities as well as through seminars, workshops and conferences. 

Indian Railway is working in a mission mode to become the largest Green Railway in the world. It is also moving towards becoming a net zero carbon emitter before 2030.

Railway Ministry said, after completion of Electrification in Uttar Pradesh recently, Railways has achieved another milestone. It said, the Railways has also completed the electrification of Uttarakhand.

The existing Broad Gauge network of Uttarakhand is 347 Route kilometre, which is 100 per cent electrified, resulting in reduced operating and maintenance cost of electric loco and eco-friendly mode of transportation with reduced dependence on imported crude oil.

The Centre today said the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation, ESIC has decided to implement the ESI scheme in all the districts of the country. In a written reply in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Labour and Employment Rameswar Teli said the ESI scheme is notified in all the States and Union Territories, except in Lakshadweep as of the 1st of this month. He said, at present out of a total of 744 districts in the country, the ESI scheme is extended to 609 districts. It includes 483 fully covered districts and 128 partially covered districts under the scheme.

Mr. Teli said, the ESIC provides medical treatment to beneficiaries through its hospitals and dispensaries. He said, in case the prescribed treatment is not available in the ESI hospital, the treatment is provided to ESI beneficiaries through the ESIC-empanelled public and private hospitals in a cashless manner. The beneficiaries are required to follow a prescribed referral procedure to avail of the treatment.

Rajput leader and Karni Sena founder Lokendra Singh Kalvi passed away at a State-run hospital in Jaipur on March 14. Family sources said he suffered a cardiac arrest late in the night and breathed his last. Kalvi was admitted to the Sawai Man Singh Hospital for the past few days.

“His funeral will be held at his ancestral village in Nagaur district’s Kalvi village later in the day,” the sources added.

The son of former Union Minister Kalyan Singh Kalvi, Kalvi was the patron of Shree Rajput Karni Sena, which had led the 2018 protests against Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film " Padmaavat" for alleged distortion of historical facts. He had also been a national-level basketball player.

The last date for submission of the online Application Form for  Common University Entrance Test -CUET (UG)-2023  has been extended till the 30th of March this year. Earlier, the last date for the submission of the application form was the 12th of this month. According to the National Testing Agency, corrections in the particulars of the Application form can be made from the 1st of April to the 3rd of April. The candidates can check the official website -  www. nta.ac.in and cuet.samarth.ac.in for more information. In case, any candidate faces difficulty in applying for the exam, the candidate can contact the telephone numbers 011 - 40759000 and 69227700 or can e-mail at cuet-ug@nta.ac.in.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today paid tribute to Ayya Vaikunda Swamikal on his birth anniversary. In a tweet, Mr Modi said, he devoted himself to serving others and nurturing a society that is inclusive and just. The Prime Minister said, Ayya Vaikunda Swamikal undertook numerous efforts to empower the downtrodden as well. Mr Modi said, his thoughts will keep inspiring people across generations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today dedicated IIT Dharwad's new campus developed at a cost of Rs 850 crore to the nation. He also inaugurated the World’s longest railway platform at Hubballi station. The electrification of the Hospete-Hubballi-Tinaighat section and upgraded Hosapete station projects were also dedicated by the Prime Minister. A foundation stone was laid for Jayadeva Hospital and Research Centre in Hubballi. Various projects worth Rs 520 crore were inaugurated and initiated under the Smart City programme in the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese today held a delegation level bilateral talks in New Delhi

During the first India-Australia Annual Summit, both the countries shared their commitment towards further deepening of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Both the nations exchanged MoU for cooperation in sports and audio-visual co-production.

The Indian and Australian side also exchanged Terms of Reference for India-Australia Solar Task Force, Letter of Intent between Atal Innovation Mission and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization.