*CURRENT AFFAIRS (04:03:2014)

1. 3rd BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical
and Economic Cooperation) Summit kicks off in Myanmar.
- BIMSTEC consist of Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand,
Bhutan and Nepal.
- It aims to facilitate cooperation in multiple sectors including
trade, investment and energy.
- Improving connectivity to all the northeastern states for transport,
trade and tourism is going to be high on Indian agenda.
2. US, in the backdrop of recent Russian military intervention in
Ukraine, calls off all military-to-military engagements between the
two nations.
3. RBI extendes the deadline for exchanging pre-2005 notes to January
1, 2015 from the earlier March 31, 2014.
- Though people can use them for any transaction till further orders
in this regard.
4. Indian Railways launches 'SMS Gateway' for sending SMS alerts to
passengers about their PNR Status
5. Corporation Bank wins the awards for lending to MSE (micro and
small enterprises) and to micro enterprises from the Ministry of
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) for the year 2012-13
- Indian Bank clinches the national award for excellence in lending to
micro enterprises for 2012-2013.
6. Shri Krishna Chaudhary has been appointed as the Director General
of Railway Protection Force.