Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2019

Notes:
The Rice Knowledge Bank – Assam (RKB-Assam) is an agriculture web portal i.e. dedicated to enhancing knowledge on rice production techniques, agricultural technologies, best production practices and state agriculture facts. It serves to address the challenges for agricultural development by supporting fast and effective transfer of technologies and knowledge from the research laboratory to farmer’s fields. RKB-Assam has been launched as part of the World Bank funded project- Assam Agri-business and Rural Transformation (APART). The portal is the result of efforts of Assam Rural Infrastructure and Agricultural Services Society (ARIAS), Assam Agricultural University (AAU); with technical assistance from International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

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The Government of India (GoI) has constituted a 5-member committee to examine the issues related to framing of a proper, structured scheme for providing insurance cover to advocates and suggest modalities for its implementation. The committee, under the chairmanship of Legal Affairs Secretary Alok Srivastava, will recommend a comprehensive insurance scheme for the welfare of advocates all over the country to address concerns relating to untimely death and medical insurance. The committee will submit its reports within 3 months.

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On March 8, the European Union and the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) inaugurated the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence for European Union Studies in India at the varsity. The Centre of Excellence for European Union Studies in India (CEEUSI) at JNU will provide greater visibility to EU studies in India and South Asia. After Manipal Academy for Higher Education, JNU is one of only two Centers of Excellence awarded EU funds in India. The new Centre of Excellence at JNU will provide additional opportunities to students and researchers to work on EU studies in India.

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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has officially named Dr. Mohammad Shtayyeh as the new Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority. The announcement comes six weeks after Rami al-Hamdallah tendered his resignation from the post and of his unity government to President Mahmoud Abbas, underscoring the failure of Hamas and Fatah to implement a power-sharing deal. Shtayyeh is a member of the West Bank’s dominant Fatah party.

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The book titled “Tiger Woman” has been authored by Bengali novelist Sirsho Bandopadhyay. It is translated by Arunava Sinha from the Bengali version “Shardulsundori” is set in the Calcutta of the 1880s. It’s a historical novel that places a tragic love triangle in an era of patriotism and the Great Bengal Circus became a metaphor for a frustrated social revolution.

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Vinod Kashyap (88), the veteran Hindi Newsreader, has passed in New Delhi on March 10, 2019. She served All India Radio (AIR) for about 30 years. She started her career in Radio as a drama artist.

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The Madhya Pradesh government has taken the ordinance route to increase reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) from 14% to 27%. In this regard, Governor Anandiben Patel has recently signed the ordinance to amend the Madhya Pradesh Lok Seva (Anusuchit Jatiyon, Anusuchit Jan Jatioyon aur Anya Pichhade Vargon ke Liye Arakshan) Adhiniyam, 1994. With this, MP is possibly the only state in India to have 27% quota for OBCs. At present, the state provides 20% reservation to Scheduled Tribes (STs), 16% to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and 14% to OBCs. OBCs are estimate to constitute nearly 52% of the state’s population, and OBC groups have often demanded an increase in reservation to reflect their strength in the state. As per analysts, the move has been taken to woo OBC voters before the Lok Sabha elections 2019.

Notes:
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) is the government agency for authentic source of data on crime, accidents, suicides, and prisons for policy matters and research data as defined by the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Special and Local Laws (SLL). Founded in 1986, Bureau is also apex nodal agency for all Finger Print related matters including accreditation of Finger Print Experts in the country. It is headquartered in New Delhi and is part of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The current Director of NCRB is Ramphal Pawar (IPS). Recently, NCRB has celebrated its 34th Inception Day on March 11.

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The World Kidney Day (WKD) is observed every year on 2nd Thursday of March as a global health awareness campaign to raise awareness about impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide. In 2019, the WKD is been observed on March 14 with theme “Kidney Health for Everyone Everywhere”. The 2019 WKD theme calls for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for prevention and early treatment of kidney diseases.

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India’s first integrated community-based HIV treatment centre and clinic for LGBTQ has recently inaugurated at Humsafar Trust’s office in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The centre is supported by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and Family Health International 360. The centre will give free counselling and provide Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART). ART is the use of HIV medicines to treat the infection, and is recommended for everyone who is infected with virus and delays the progression of the disease. The centre will not only facilitate access to treatment among the most-at-risk communities, including transgenders and sex workers, but also provide the free HIV medications distributed by NACO. The acronym ‘LGBTQ’ stands for – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer.