Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2021

Notes:
India and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) signed a USD 304 million loan agreement for the Assam Intra-State Transmission System Enhancement Project.
The project aims to construct transmission substations and lay required transmission lines. It will also upgrade 15 substations, transmission lines and ground wire to optical power ground wire. The remaining project cost USD 61 million would be financed by the state.

Notes:
The Government of Japan headed by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has recently appointed Tetsushi Sakamoto as the country’s 1st ever Minister for Loneliness.
This decision has been made to tackle the rise in suicide rates due to COVID crisis. Also, the minister is responsible for managing the fall in birth rate in the country.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Agriculture has recently released the 2nd advanced estimates for Production of Food grains for 2020-21.
As per the said figures, the production of food grains stood at a record high of 109.24 million tonnes during the current crop year. This value is 1.28% more than the production value for the previous cropping season.

Notes:
Recently, members of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have discovered the first epigraphical to the death of Krishnadevaraya Nayaka.
Krishnadevaraya Nayaka was the emperor of Vijayanagara empire and ruled the kingdom from 1509-1529 AD. The epigraphical reference was found near Gopalakrishna temple at Honnenahalli of Tumkur district in Karnataka.

Notes:
British think-tank, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) said military spending touched USD 1.8 trillion in the year 2020.
Global military spending rose 3.9% compared to the last year. The U.S. remained the world’s largest defence spender in 2020, followed by China. The rapid military expansion of China is the reason for the rise in Asian spending.

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 Union Ministry of Social justice and Empowerment has developed an app named “Sugamya Bharat App”. It has been developed by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), for enhancing accessibility.
It is being launched along with a hand book named “Access – The Photo Digest”.

Notes:
MapMyIndia, the Indian Digital Mapping company has integrated into the government’s Co-WIN portal. This aimed to help people locate nearest COVID vaccination centres around them.
The company has also stated that it has launched new maps and nearby search features in its website.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has launched the field assessment for 6th edition of the Swachh Survekshan 2021.
The Swachh Survekshan commenced in the year 2016 as a competition enhancing framework to encourage cities to achieve high standards of sanitation under the Swatch Bharat Mission.

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.