National Events in March 1999
Mar. 1
The RBI cuts the repo rate from eight per cent to six per cent effective from March 3 and the bank rate from nine per cent to eight per cent.
Mar. 3
Four members of the forward Bhumihar community and allegedly members of the Ranbir Sena are gunned down by an armed squad of the People's War Group in Bhimpura village of Jehanbad district in Bihar.
Mar. 5
The indigenously-built multi-barrel rocket launcher, ``Pinaka'' is successfully test-fired at Chandipur-on-sea in Orissa.
Mar. 7
Twenty-two persons are killed and six injured when an AN-32 transport aircraft of the IAF crashes at Pappankulam, near the Indira Gandhi International Airport in south-west Delhi.
Mar. 8
The President formally revokes the proclamation imposing Central rule in Bihar after this was decided by the Union Cabinet earlier in the day.
Mar. 9
Ms. Rabri Devi is sworn in Chief Minister of Bihar for the second time.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, announces increased charges in almost all categories of communication services.
The Vice-Chancellor of the Madras University, Prof. P. T. Manoharan, quits office.
Mar. 10
Lok Sabha approves the Patents (Amendment) Bill, 1999, by a voice vote.
The hike in telecom rates is put on hold after the Trinamul Congress, an ally of the BJP, threatens to boycott the Lok Sabha.
Mar. 13
The Bihar Governor, Mr. Sundar Singh Bhandari is shifted to Gujarat as its Governor.
Mar. 14
A case of attempted murder is registered against Ms. Jayalalitha, AIADMK General Secretary, after her chartered accountant alleges that he was severely beaten up at her residence.
Mar. 15
Akali leader, Mr. Gurcharan Singh Tohra resigns as president of the Shironmani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee.
Mar. 16
The Shiromani Akali Dal creates a record by unanimously electing Bibi Jagir Kaur Begowal as the first woman president of the SGPC.
Mar. 17
The Bihar Chief Minister, Ms. Rabri Devi, convincingly proves her majority in the Assembly.
The Tamil Nadu Government presents its budget which includes liberal ST concessions.
Mar. 19
The banned Maoist Communist Centre kills 34 Bhumihars at Senari village in Jehanabad district in Bihar.
Mar. 22
Pandemonium breaks loose in the Tamil Nadu Assembly with the AIADMK group leader, Mr. Thamaraikani, inflicting a bleeding injury to the Agriculture Minister, Mr. Veerapandi S. Arumugam.
Fiftyseven prisoners in Indian and Pakistan jails are repatriated to their respective motherlands at the Attari-Wagah joint checkpost on the border in Amristar district.
Mar. 23
The Tamil Nadu Assembly sentences Mr. Thamaraikani to 15 days simple imprisonment but the Madras High Court orders his release.
Mar. 24
Mr. Thamaraikani is released from prison on the Madras High Court's orders and rearrested immediately on the basis of the Assembly resolution.
The Election Commission derecognises the Samata Party as a national party but grants it the status of a State party in Bihar, Haryana and Manipur.
Mar. 25
The legislature-judiciary stand-off in Tamil Nadu takes a dramatic turn with the Madras High Court once again ordering the immediate release on bail of the AIADMK group leader, Mr. R. Thamaraikani.
Mar. 26
The Union Cabinet approves a new telecom policy which permits the Department of Telecommunication/the Mahanagar Telecom Nigam Limited to operate cellular services all over the country and does away with duopoly in fixed phone services.
Mar. 27
The Government unveils a new telecom tariff stipulating substantially higher fixed phone rentals and local call charges for the urban middle class from April 15.
Mar. 28
Pakistan decides to ease visa restrictions for the aged, women and children from India in response to New Delhi's move towards visa relaxation for several categories of Pakistani nationals.
Mar. 29
A massive earthquake in the Garhwal region of Uttar Pradesh in the inner Himalayas leaves 85 people dead and more than 130 injured.
Mar. 31
The PIO card, conferring privileges on persons of Indian origin settled abroad, is formally launched.
Government unveils new Export Import policy for 1999-2000.