Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2020

Notes:
In a ceremony at iconic Panathenaic stadium of Athens, Greece has handed over the Olympic flame to Tokyo 2020 organisers.
The ceremony did not include the planned cultural ceremonies from Greece or Japan, due to COVID-19 pandemic. The Governing Olympic body of Greece, Hellenic Olympic Committee’s President Spyros Capralos handed the torch over to the Tokyo Organising Committee. The Hellenic Olympic Committee organises the lighting ceremony of Olympic Torch and its relay in Greece.

Notes:
Bengaluru-based mountaineer Satyarup Siddhanta was seen in news recently as he has been nominated for the Limca Book of World Records for becoming the first Indian to climb the highest volcanoes of all 7 continents.
He had also been named in the Guinness Book of World Records. He achieved the feat in 2019 and the acknowledgement came recently. He scaled the highest volcano of Antarctica – Mt Sidley as he completes his 7 summits and Volcanic 7 summits. He also holds a world record for being the world’s youngest to summit the highest mountains of each continent.

Notes:
The Cabinet recently approved the relaunch of a scheme called ‘Bulk drug park scheme’. The approval aims to set up three bulk drug parks and four medical device parks for a total outlay of ₹3,400 crore over the next five years.
Under the bulk drug park scheme, the government will give grant to states with a maximum limit of ₹1,000 crore per bulk drug park, up to ₹3,000 crore in total. A similar scheme has been launched for medical devices, with a maximum grant of ₹100 crore per park.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister of India has recently approved financial assistance to the Modified Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMC2.0) Scheme.
The scheme aims at developing world class infrastructure along with common facilities and amenities through Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMCs). The scheme seeks to set up Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMCs) and Common Facility Centers (CFCs). The total outlay of the EMC 2.0 Scheme is Rs. 3,762.25 crore.

Notes:
World Water Day is observed every year on March 22, across the world since the year 1993. The theme of the World Water Day this year is ‘Water and Climate Change’.
In 1992, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution by which 22 March of each year was declared World Water Day from 1993. The Day focuses on the importance of freshwater and creates awareness of the people who still live without access to safe water.

Notes:
America-based Heritage Foundation released its Index of Economic Freedom last week. Singapore emerged as the top nation in the index and overtook Hong Kong as the world’s most independent and free economy.
Singapore achieved this feat for the first time since 1995, the report was first published. Hong Kong has ever been placed at the top since then. India is ranked in 120th position in the report and It improved its score by 1.3 points from 2019 to score 56.5 in 2020

Notes:
Debut novelist Ruchika Tomar has been selected as the winner of the 2020 PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel ‘A Prayer for Travelers’.
PEN America was founded in 1922, in New York City. The prize is backed by the Hemingway family and the Ernest Hemingway Foundation. The PEN/Hemingway Award includes a $25,000 prize, which is proposed to allow significant time and resources to pursue a subsequent work of fiction.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet has recently approved the signing and ratification of an extradition treaty between India and Belgium.
This ratification will enable the two countries to repatriate any person who is accused or convicted in an extraditable offence. An offence punishable under the laws of both the countries with imprisonment for one year or more is called an extraditable offence. The treaty would give a legal framework for extradition of terrorists, economic offenders and other criminals from and to Belgium.

Notes:
The Central Board of Direct Taxes is a statutory authority which frames policy for the tax department. It is headed by a Chairperson and composed of six other members.
Recently, Indian Revenue Service officers Satish Kumar Gupta and Krishan Mohan Prasad have been appointed new members in the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). At present, apart from the Chairman P C Mody, there are three other serving members. After this appointment, there will be one more vacancy in the organisation.

Notes:
The Union Finance Minister has recently announced a relief package for the poor and vulnerable people amid the 21-day lockdown of the country announced by the Prime Minister.
Among the relief measures, women self-help groups (SHGs) will be provided collateral-free loans up to Rs 20 lakh from Rs 10 lakh earlier, under the Deen Dayal National Livelihood Mission. This step is expected to impact 7 crore members through 63 lakh SHGs.