Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2021

Notes:
Bangladesh has recently banned the painkiller ketoprofen used widely to treat the cattle. With this it became the first country to ban all the drugs known so far to be toxic to vultures.
Over 10 years ago, the country banned the veterinary drug diclofenac. As per Ornithologists, this is a landmark step to save the small existing population of Asia’s globally threatened vultures.

Notes:
The Union Agriculture Ministry’s flagship scheme PM Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM KISAN) has completed 2 years on 24th February 2021.
This is a 100% central sector scheme, under which income support of Rs.6000/- per year would be given to farmer families in three instalments. The funds would be directly transferred to the beneficiaries through DBT mode.

Notes:
For the year 2021, the chairmanship of BRICS is vested with India.
India has commenced its chairship with the inauguration of 3-day-long Sherpas’ meeting. The meeting was chaired by Secretary (CPV & OIA) of Ministry of External Affairs. During the meet, India introduced to the member countries its themes and priorities for the year 2021.

Notes:
The Task force on Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) has agreed and approved the preparation of final detailed project report (DPR) on the proposed Mahanadi-Gadavari link.
The group also directed to ensure the utilisation of the allocated Godavari waters by Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, via the link canal of the project. The Chairman of the task force is Sriram Vedire, Advisor to the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

Notes:
Madhya Pradesh approved a law to give life imprisonment to food adulterators, with the cabinet recently approving a Penal Law (Madhya Pradesh Amendment) Bill, 2021.
In 2019, a massive rally was organised in the state against food adulteration, with the participation of several citizens of all age groups.

Notes:
The state of Assam celebrates the Bir Chilarai Divas every year, to commemorate the birth anniversary of the brave General of Assam, Chilarai.
Chilarai was a great general of the Koch Royal Dynasty of Assam. He played a significant role in expanding the great empire of his elder brother Maharaja Nara Narayan. The government of Assam confers Bir Chilarai Award, the highest honor for bravery to individuals.

Notes:
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C51 (PSLV-C51) rocket of India successfully lifted off from Sriharikota launch pad.
It was carrying 19 satellites from Brazil, USA and India with the Brazil’s 637-kilogram optical earth observation satellite Amazonia 1, as its primary passenger. This is the first commercial mission of New space India limited.

Notes:
The Russian Space Agency has launched its satellite Arktika-M. This satellite is intended to monitor the climate in the Arctic region.
In the recent past, Russia has been taking keen interest in exploring Arctic region and is seeking to develop the energy-rich region for the nation’s developmental interest.

Notes:
Recently, digital financial services platform major Paytm has achieved more than 1.2 billion monthly transactions. This spurt in number is mainly due to offline payments and financial services.
With this achievement, Paytm becomes the largest digital platform in financial sector which promotes all payment methods like Wallet, UPI, cards and net-banking

Notes:
Recently, Wayanad of Kerala has witnessed infestation of fall armyworm (FAW), which has caused excessive damage to crops in the place.
The attack has been reported on maize and plantain cultivations and hence the state’s agriculture department has issued advisory to farmers.