Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2021

Notes:
The ‘Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan’ project was launched in September 2017 by the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey of India. In September 2023, ‘Adopt A Heritage 2.0’ was launched by the Ministry of Culture. The scheme involves partnership with public and private entities to improve amenities at heritage sites.

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:
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Harsh Vardhan has been nominated by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) as a member on the GAVI Board.
The Minister is to succeed Mr. Myint Htwe of Myanmar and will represent the South East Area Regional Office (SEARO)/ Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO) constituency from 1st January 2021 until 31st December 2023.

Notes:
The Parliament of Kazakhstan signed the ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
It is a document which commits the signatories to abolish capital punishment. Life imprisonment was introduced in the country in 2004 as an alternative punishment. While ICCPR was adopted in 1966, the second optional protocol was adopted in 1989.

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:
Over 1700 migratory birds were found dead in the Pong Dam sanctuary in the state of Himachal Pradesh, under mysterious circumstances.
Recently, it was found that those birds have tested positive for bird flu. This makes Himachal Pradesh to join the list of states to report cases of the avian influenza after Rajasthan and Kerala.

Notes:
The US Congress has recently passed the “Malala Yousafzai Scholarship Bill”.
The bill makes it mandatory for U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to award 50% of scholarships to Pakistani Women under a Pakistan-based higher education scholarship programme. The scholarships are to be awarded from 2020 to 2022.

Notes:
The Committee of Central Drugs and Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) has approved the vaccines – Covishield manufactured by Serum Institute of India and Covaxin manufactured by Bharat Biotech for emergency use.
These vaccines are to be initially administered to 3 crore front line workers for free by the Government of India.

Notes:
The National Metrology Conclave 2021 has been organized by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL), New Delhi.
This research organization has entered its 75th year of inception. The theme of the function was ‘Metrology for the Inclusive Growth of the Nation’. The inaugural function was attended by the Prime Minster of India via video conferencing.

Notes:
Dell Technologies announced that they have developed a new mobile application in collaboration with Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and Tata Trusts.
The application aims to support the management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) at the government primary health centres (PHCs) across the country. It strengthens the NCD IT system, which is already existing.