Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2023

Notes:
The first Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) Regiment is being raised to enhance the Indian Army’s air defence and capacity development along the Northern Borders.
This regiment is equipped with the MRSAM weapon system, which has been indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Notes:
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has announced a tour package named ‘Baba Saheb Ambedkar Yatra’.
This tour package covers some significant sites associated with the life of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar including Dr. Ambedkar Nagar, Nagpur, Sanchi, Varanasi, Gaya, Rajgir, and Nalanda. The tour is part of the ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ initiative to promote domestic tourism.

Notes:
Assam-based non-profit organization Aaranyak has formed a network of local communities called the Elephant Conservation Network (ECN).
The network has been formed to tackle the issue of human-elephant conflict (HEC) in Assam. Seven ECNs have been formed, involving village youths who have been educated about elephant ecology and behavior, and effective mitigation measures.

Notes:
The Snow Festival (Winter Carnival) was organized in the Rafiabad area of Baramulla district in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The aim of this carnival is to promote village tourism and local culture in the Munddaji Rafiabad Baramulla. The Festival was organized by the District Administration Baramulla. It featured music, dance, cultural events, and snow cricket, volleyball, and skiing.

Notes:
PARAKH, India’s first national assessment regulator, aims to standardize assessment for over 60 boards in the country.
ETS (Educational Testing Service), which conducts key tests like TOEFL and GRE, has been chosen by the National Council for Education Research (NCERT) to set up the regulatory platform PARAKH. PARAKH will establish norms, standards, and guidelines for student assessment and evaluation.

Notes:
As per the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, India has the potential to contribute 15 per cent of the global growth in 2023.
On the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Bengaluru, the IMF chief also said that India should completely focus on structural reforms, and make more opportunities for women.  For FY 2023-24, IMF had projected 6.1 per cent GDP growth for India.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Culture kicked-off the celebrations of Santh Sevalal Maharaj Jayanti at Dr. BR Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi.
The Union government kicked-off year-long celebrations to mark the 284th birth anniversary of Santh Sevalal Maharaj, a spiritual and religious leader of the Banjara community. It is a nomadic community that has been declared a Scheduled Tribe (ST) in a few States of India.

Notes:
Argentina captain Lionel Messi has been named the best player in men’s football by FIFA, at The Best FIFA Football Awards in Paris.
Messi won this award for his outstanding performances in men’s football from August 2021 to December 2022. France’s Kylian Mbappe, also nominated for the award. Spain’s Alexia Putellas won the best women’s player award for the second year in a row.

Notes:
The Indian Railways introduced a Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC Tourist Train as part of the ‘Garvi Gujarat’ tour.
It aims to showcase the state of Gujarat under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme. The tour includes visits to prominent pilgrimage and heritage sites in Gujarat, including the Statue of Unity, UNESCO- recognised world heritage site Champaner archaeological park, Somnath, Dwarka, Nageshwar, and Beyt Dwarka, among others.

Notes:
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has been granted approval by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for a new variant of the Hindustan 228-201 LW aircraft.
The recent DGCA approval will enable commercial pilots to fly the aircraft with a reduced qualification requirement, increasing the availability of pilots for the aircraft.