Daily Current Affairs of 16th March 2017
International Current Affairs
- Women will take 50 years to equal the number of men in legislatures across 193 UN nations, a report by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and UN Women has revealed today.
- Percentage of women in parliaments was 23.3% in 2016, up from 22.6% in 2015.
- Note : India ranked 148 in women parliamentarians, with 11.8% representation in Lok Sabha and 11% in the Rajya Sabha.
- British monarch Queen Elizabeth II has granted royal assent to the Article 50 bill by signing it into law.
- This gives PM Theresa May the legal power to choose when to start formal Brexit negotiations with the European Union.
- The Union Cabinet today approved the National Health Policy 2017 aimed at providing affordable healthcare to all.
- The draft policy aims to raise public healthcare expenditure to 2.5% of GDP from the current 1% and to ensure availability of 2 hospital beds per 1,000 population.
- It also proposes free drugs, free diagnostics, and free emergency services.
- The Gujarat High Court today ruled that reserved category candidates availing age relaxation cannot claim a place in the general category merit list for government jobs.
- Braille maps and platform indicators were unveiled at the Bengaluru City railway station today, making it the second blind-friendly station after Mysuru railway station in India.
- Two Braille scripted maps with directions to platforms, ticket counters, and restrooms were inaugurated.
- Further, 600 Braille platform indicators were placed along the railings of the old Foot Over Bridge and subway.
- The Karnataka government has capped the price of movie tickets at all cinema theatres, including multiplexes, in the state at ₹200.
- The state government also made the screening of Kannada and regional language films in one screen mandatory between 1:30 PM and 7:30 PM at all the state's multiplex cinemas.
