Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2023

Notes:
The second Semicon India Future Design Roadshow was launched recently in Bengaluru. This road-show is being organized with the aim of attracting investments in India’s semi-conductor design ecosystem.
The inaugural edition of this event was held in 2022 in Gujarat’s Karnavati University. During inauguration, the launch of India Semiconductor Research Centre (ISRC), a private industry-led research centre was also announced.

Notes:
Comptroller and Auditor General, Girish Chandra Murmu has been selected as External Auditor of the International Labour Organization in Geneva
He has been selected for a four-year term from 2024 to 2027. CAG will take over from the incumbent External Auditor of ILO, Supreme Audit Institution of Philippines. ILO had earlier shortlisted three Supreme Audit Institutions – India, Canada and UK, for technical presentations.

Notes:
The U.S. President Joe Biden announced that the country is nominating Ajay Banga to lead the World Bank
The 63-year- old leader currently serves as Vice Chairman at General Atlantic. He was President and CEO of Mastercard was awarded the Padma Shri in 2016. He has worked as the Co-Chair of the Partnership for Central America, is a member of the Trilateral Commission, a founding trustee of the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum among other prestigious positions.

Notes:
The Centre has approved the Quality Control Order (QCO) for mandatory certification of cotton bales.
The compulsory requirement of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification for cotton bales sold in India is expected to check imports of substandard cotton and ensure domestic cotton meets certain minimum quality parameters, as per the Textiles Ministry.

Notes:
The preliminary surveys conducted by the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD) found the presence of lithium reserves in Mandya district of Karnataka.
The Central Government has started taking steps to initiate commercial exploration after lithium reserves was discovered earlier in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The AMD is the oldest unit of India’s Department of Atomic Energy.

Notes:
Karnataka and Gujarat are among the major states making the most progress in transition to clean electricity.
This is according to a new report on ‘Indian States’ Energy Transition’, prepared by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) along with EMBER. The report has analysed 16 states, which together account for 90% of India’s annual power requirement.

Notes:
G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting (FMM) is scheduled to take place in physical format in New Delhi under India’s presidency.
The G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting (FMM) is one of the largest gatherings of foreign ministers hosted by any G20 Presidency. The 9 guest countries of the meeting are Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain and the UAE.

Notes:
The Supreme Court said it will set up a six-member panel to look into regulatory mechanisms to protect investors’ interest after a report by a US short seller Hindenburg on the Adani conglomerate led to large investor losses.
The shares of Adani group firms nose-dived last month after the short seller Hindenburg Research alleged a massive financial fraud. The Adani group strongly denied the allegation and called Hindenburg’s report a “calculated attack” on India, its institutions and growth story.

Notes:
The POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system characterized by a rapid rise in heart rate after standing up or lying down.
Research is being conducted to identify the relationship between the POTS and COVID-19. There are at least 1 million or more new POTS patients in the United States as a result of COVID.

Notes:
The National Safety Day is celebrated on March 4 across India every year. It aims to raise awareness about the importance of health and safety at workplaces and create a culture of safety among the general public.
The National Safety Day commemorates the establishment of the National Safety Council (NSC) of India in 1966. It was observed for the first time in 1972. The theme for National Safety Day 2023 is ‘Our Aim – Zero Harm’.