Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2021

Notes:
In a recent research performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), under a contract with NASA and University of Southern California, four strains of bacteria have been discovered at the ISS.
The team of Scientists also included a team from India’s University of Hyderabad. One of the strains – Methylobacterium ajmalii, is named after Ajmal Khan, a renowned Indian scientist specialised in biodiversity.

Notes:
Jal Jeevan Mission was announced on 15th August, 2019, with the aim to provide tap water supply to every rural home by 2024.
The scheme has recently reached a new milestone of providing over 4 Crore rural households with tap water supply. Goa has become the first State in the country to provide 100 per cent tap water supply.

Notes:
Special forces of India carried out a joint military exercise with the US Special forces at Bakloh in Himachal Pradesh.
The 11th edition of the joint special forces exercise ‘Vajra Prahar 2021’ was held with an aim to share the best practices and experiences in joint mission planning and operational tactics. In February 2021, the Armies of both the countries carried out ‘Exercise Yudh Abhyas’.

Notes:
The Supreme Court appointed a four-member committee to study the three new controversial agricultural laws in January 2021. It had temporarily suspended the implementation of the three farm laws until further notice.
The members include P. K. Mishra, Anil Ghanwat, Ashok Gulati and Bhupinder Singh Mann. The panel has submitted its report to the Supreme Court recently.

Notes:
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog has launched AIM-PRIME (Program for Researchers on Innovations, Market-Readiness & Entrepreneurship).
It aims to promote and support science-based start-ups & ventures across India. AIM has partnered with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) to launch this program. It will be implemented by Venture Center – a non-profit technology business incubator.

Notes:
Indian veteran actor Rajinikanth has been recently conferred with 51st Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2020 recently. This is the top most honour in Indian cinema.
This award is presented every year for outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema. This award was first instituted the year 1969.

Notes:
France is set to conduct the joint naval exercise, La Pérouse, in the Bay of Bengal from April 5 to 7. India is set to join its Quad partners — Australia, Japan, and the United States in the exercise.
Two French Navy ships will be joined by ships from India, Australia, Japan, and the U.S. to promote multilateralism at sea and create free and open Indo-Pacific. India and France will also hold the bilateral naval exercise, Varuna later this month.

Notes:
Under the PM SVANIDHI scheme, urban street vendors are sanctioned with working capital credit facilities upto Rs,10,000 per year by banks. This scheme was launched by the Government of India to provide micro-credit facility to vendors during Covid-19 lockdown.
As per a recent data by the Ministry of Home Affairs, out of the total disbursement under the scheme, private banks have contributed only 1.6%.

Notes:
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has revised its global merchandise trade volume growth in 2021 and 2022 to 8 per cent and 4 percent respectively.
Earlier in October 2020, WTO has predicted 7.2 per cent growth. The slow down of 4 per cent in 2022 is due to the continued effects of pandemic. The report also highlighted that much of global import demand will be met by Asia.

Notes:
Longi Green Energy Technology Co., of China is the world’s biggest solar energy company. The company has entered into the hydrogen market recently.
The company has formed a sister concern named Xi’an Longi Hydrogen Technology Co and the founder of Longi Green Energy Technology Co – Li Zhenguo, will serve as the chairman for the new entity.