Daily Current Affairs Updates: 23 March 2015

1) Dada Saheb Phalke Award for Shashi Kapoor:

--> Veteran film actor Shashi Kapoor will be conferred the highest award in cinema, the Dadasaheb Phalke award for the year 2014. 

--> The award is conferred by the government for outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema on the recommendations of a five-member jury.

--> The 77-year-old will be the 46th recipient of the award.

--> Interestingly, he will be the third person in his family to be conferred with the same award,  Shashi’s father Prithviraj Kapoor received the award in 1971 and elder brother Raj Kapoor in 1987.

--> Shashi Kapoor forayed into films as lead actor in Dharmputra in 1961 and went on to appear in more than 100 Hindi films.

2) Andhra Pradesh to name capital Amaravati:

--> Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu-led Andhra Pradesh government is all set to declare the heritage city, Amaravati, 35 kms from Guntur district,as its new capital.

--> According to reports, nearly 33,000 acres of land have been procured by the TDP government for the new capital and it is spread over 29 villages in Thulluru, Mangalagiri and Tadikonda mandals of Guntur district.

--> However, as per the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014, Hyderabad will remain the shared capital of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for 10 years.

3) Railways restrict booking of train e-tickets on a single login:

--> The Ministry of Railways on 23 March 2015 decided to restrict the number of tickets that an individual can book via the e-ticketing platform, in a single login session.

--> In case of e-ticketing, there will be a restriction of only one booking in one user login session and forced logging out of the user before another booking for all users including IRCTC agents but excluding defence booking under warrant only.

--> However, this restriction will be applicable only while booking of e-ticket between 0800 and 1200 hours. It will also not be applicable while booking onward journey/return journey e-tickets, the release said.

4) Ecologist Madhav Gadgil won Tyler Prize:

--> Renowned ecologist Madhav Gadgil has been chosen for the prestigious 2015 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement.

--> The prize, instituted in 1973, is awarded by the international Tyler Prize Executive Committee with the administrative support of the University of Southern California.

--> Prof. Gadgil, who was Chairman of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), will share the $200,000 cash prize with noted American marine ecologist Dr. Jane Lubchenco.

--> Both winners will receive the prize and a gold medallion at a private ceremony in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles on April 24.

5) World Meteorological Day observed:

--> Every year March 23 is observed as World Meteorological Day (WMD).

--> Theme for this year is Climate Knowledge for Climate Action.

--> On this day in 1950 the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Convention came into force that aimed at creating WMO.

6) Pakistan military holds first Republic Day parade in seven years:

--> Pakistan held its first Republic Day parade in seven years on 23 March 2015, full of flag-waving pomp and aerial military expertise, a symbolic show of strength in the war against the Taliban months after a militant attack on a school killed 132 children.

--> Pakistan Day commemorates March 23, 1940, when the Muslim League demanded the establishment of separate nations to protect Muslims in the then British colony of India.

7) Railways launched RuPay pre-paid debit card service:

--> Railway passengers can now book their tickets, do shopping and pay service bills using RuPay pre-paid cards, as the IRCTC launched the debit card service on 23 March 2015.

--> The service was launched by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) in collaboration with the Union Bank of India and the National Payment Corporation of India.

--> RuPay is India's own card payment gateway network like Visa and Master Card, and provides an alternative system for banks to provide a debit card service.

8) Railways hike platform ticket price to Rs. 10:

--> Railways has hiked the cost of platform tickets to Rs. 10 and the new rate will come into effect from April 2015.

--> Additionally, the Divisional Railway Managers (DRMs) have been empowered to increase the rate of a platform ticket beyond Rs. 10 to regulate rush at platforms.