News in Short

• Meghalaya has registered the highest increase in MGNREGS wages for 2021-2022, while there has been no increase in Kerala and Lakshadweep.
• Rajasthan saw a hike of ? 1, while Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand registered an increase of ? 3.
• All states and Union territories, except Meghalaya, have registered a lower hike in MGNREGS wages for 2021-2022 as compared to the increase announced for 2020-2021. The new rates will be effective from April 1.

• Beijing was covered in thick yellow smog with pollution levels surging as the worst sandstorm in a decade descended on China's capital from the Gobi desert.
• The city government has ordered schools to cancel outside sport and events and advised the public to stay inside where possible, as hundreds of flights were cancelled.
• Chinese weather agencies blamed the poor air quality on a sandstorm sweeping across northern China from northern Mongolia.
• China cut its national average level of airborne PM 2.5 dramatically between 2015 and 2019 and the government has announced an ambitious target to reach carbon neutrality by 2060.

• BJP MP from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh Ram Swaroop Sharma has passed away in Delhi due to suicide.
• The body was found hanging from a ceiling fan. Sharma had been suffering from various ailments.
• The BJP has cancelled its Parliamentary meeting following his demise. Lok Sabha was also adjourned till 1pm to pay homage to the sitting MP.
• He was elected to the 16th and 17th Lok Sabha from Mandi parliamentary constituency in 2014 and 2019 respectively.

• Former Union minister and BJP leader Dilip Gandhi died of COVID-19 at a private hospital in New Delhi. He was 69.
• Dilip Gandhi had tested positive for the novel coronavirus and was admitted to a private hospital where he was put on a ventilator.
• Gandhi started his career as a corporator in late 80s and won the Lok Sabha elections three times since 1999 from Ahmednagar in Maharashtra.
• He also held the shipping ministry charge in the Vajpayee Govt in 2003. He was denied a ticket by BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.