Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2020

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 Punjab government on Saturday granted permission to distilleries to manufacture and supply sanitisers in wake of the rise in coronavirus cases in the state.
Punjab Food and Drug administration Commissioner recently announced that the permission for a period of 10 days and has been granted purely on a temporary basis. The manufacturers shall supply the sanitisers to government institutions in the state of Punjab only.

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:
On the World Water Day, which falls on March 22, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that between 3.5 and 4.4 billion people in the world will live with limited access to water.
He also announced that out of the people with limited access, more than 1 billion of them would be in major cities. He revealed that the world’s water resources are under threat and 2.2 billion people and 4.2 billion people lack safe drinking water and sanitation facilities respectively.

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:
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 state government of Karnataka tabled the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Bill, 2020 in the Legislative Assembly. The Bill seeks to enable public participation in various levels of municipal governance.
The Bill also provides for an independent legislation and seeks to improve decentralisation, integration of public participation at various levels of municipal governance and also to ensure efficient decision making by the BBMP.

Notes:
The King of Saudi Arabia Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is set to chair an emergency virtual summit of G20 leaders, to accelerate the response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
At present, Saudi Arabia holds the G20 presidency and it called for the Virtual Leaders’ summit to be held on March 26. This is the first meeting of the G20 leaders after the world has been affected by the outbreak of coronavirus.

Notes:
The companies in the digital industry have decide to temporarily offer SD (Standard Definition) content instead of HD (High Definition) and ultra-HD streaming.
By Standard Definition, the bitrates of the streaming will not be higher than 480p on cellular networks until 14th April. As a higher number of people are staying at home during the nation-wide lockdown, there is an extra-ordinary surge in the consumption of mobile internet. This step would ensure that the cellular network remains robust.

Notes:
International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is observed on March 25 every year, across the world. The day honours those who suffered and died due to brutal slavery system. It also aims to raise awareness about the dangers of racism and prejudice.
The International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members is also observed on March 25. It marks the anniversary of the abduction of a former journalist named Alec Collett, who worked for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).