Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2021

Notes:
Union Earth Sciences Minister Harsh Vardhan has recently inaugurated the country’s highest meteorological centre in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
The centre located above 3500 metres, would provide localised weather forecasts and early warning for Leh and Kargil districts of the Union Territory as well as various tourist places.

Notes:
The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has signed an MoU with UNDP India to create India’s first Social Impact Bond (SIB).
This bond describes outcome-based targets to be achieved, so that the progress of the outcomes can be tracked. It also ensures the funds are used effectively towards the project. The bonds would support the corporation in improving the healthcare services.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet has recently approved a modified scheme to enhance ethanol distillation capacity in the country, to produce 1st Generation (1G) ethanol.
1G Ethanol is produced from edible seeds, molasses, sugarcane, sugar beet, sorghum among others. While 2G biofuels use non-edible oilseeds, used cooking oil, agriculture residue, the 3G biofuels use industrial waste, municipal solid waste.

Notes:
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) along with the Indian Navy has conducted a successful trial of the SAHAYAK-NG.
It is the country’s first indigenously designed and developed air droppable container. The container, aided by GPS can carry a payload of up to 50 kg and can be dropped from a heavy aircraft. It is designed and developed by two DRDO labs and a private company ‘Avantel’.

Notes:
CSIR- National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST) has discovered an alternative technology to single-use plastics.
The NIIST scientists have developed a technology for manufacturing biodegradable cutleries from agricultural residues and by-products.

Notes:
The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi announced the annual awards for excellence in implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U) Mission.
In the best performing states category, Uttar Pradesh bagged the first place, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. In the North East region and Hilly states, Tripura bagged the first place. Vishakhapatnam was named the best performing Municipal Corporation.

Notes:
The International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) is an association of organizations, which regulate the world’s securities and futures markets.
International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA), established by the Government of India in 2019, has become an associate member of the IOSCO. With this, IFSCA can exchange information at the global level, learn from the best practices of the other regulators.

Notes:
The space researchers of Japan are exploring the possibilities of using wooden components to reduce the excess space junk. They have proposed that using wooden components in space mission would burn up upon reentry to Earth’s atmosphere.
In this regard, Sumitomo Forestry which is a 400-year-old Japanese woodworking company has partnered with Kyoto University to develop the technology.

Notes:
Several ducks in Kottayam city of Kerala state have been found to be infected with Avian influenza – H5N8.
The state and district administration have initiated war-footing steps to prevent further spread of the disease. It has been stated that the virus killed 1,700 ducklings in the city which are around 70 days old.

Notes:
State-owned research agency, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is to install its eco-friendly bio-digester units across the network operated by Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (MAHA–METRO).
DRDO will provide technical support to implement advanced bio-digester Mk-II technology for treating the human waste in the metro rail network.