Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2021

Notes:
The UNESCO has recently released a report titled “World 2030: Public Survey Report”. This report is based on surveys conducted around the world from May 2020 to September 2020.
As per the report, climate change, violence and conflict, loss of biodiversity, discrimination and inequality etc are some of the important challenges affecting a peaceful society.

Notes:
The Government of India has promulgated an Ordinance that allows the use of pre-packs as an insolvency resolution mechanism for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). This is applicable for defaults upto an amount of Rs. 1 crore.
A pre-pack is an agreement for the resolution of debt of a distressed MSME through an agreement between secured creditors and investors instead of a public bidding process.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister has approved a production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for white goods (i.e) Air Conditioners and LED Lights. The scheme has been approved with a budget of Rs.6238 crores.
This scheme aims to make manufacturing in India globally competitive and enhance the manufacturing efficiency.

Notes:
Quasars are extremely luminous cores of distant galaxies that are powered by supermassive black holes.
Recently, a group of astronomers have discovered a dozen quasars, distorted by a cosmic lens and split int four similar images. The first such quadruple image was discovered in 1985. The study by “Gaia Gravitational Lenses Working Group” of astronomers, also included scientists from ARIES, Nainital.

Notes:
The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan and the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda have jointly launched a Tribal Health Collaborative named “ANAMAYA”.
This is an initiative by Piramal Foundation and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It covers the efforts of government agencies to improve the health and nutrition status of the tribal communities.

Notes:
The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have planned to launch a dedicated platform that would advise the poor nations on funding their climate and conservation activities.
It is proposed that the platform would consist of UN officials, non-governmental organisations, private investors and rating agencies, to aid and advise the funding activities.

Notes:
India formally handed over a fast patrol vessel (FPV) named ‘PS Zoroaster’ to Seychelles. PM Modi participated in virtual meeting with President of Seychelles Wavel Ramkalawan.
This is the fourth made-in-India patrol boat to be gifted to Seychelles since 2005. It was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineering and will be used for patrolling, anti-smuggling and anti-poaching operations, search and rescue.

Notes:
Uttarakhand has been hit by severe forest fire recently. There are 40 active fire spots in the forests of Garhwal and Kumaon regions.
The Uttarakhand High Court has asked the state government to explore the possibility of using artificial rain to put off the forest fires. It also directed the state to extinguish the fires in two weeks and implement the ‘National Green Tribunal’s 12-point guidelines’ issued during the forest fires of 2017.

Notes:
BASIC countries or bloc of four newly industrialised nations has four countries namely Brazil, South Africa, India and China. BASIC was initiated by China in 2009.
The 30th session of the ministerial committee on climate change was held recently, which was chaired by India’s Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar. The BASIC nations asked the developed economies to provide climate finance to developing nations.

Notes:
The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the US Special Presidential Envoy for climate John Kerry have agreed to come together and collaborate for the 2030 climate change agenda.
The special focus of the collaboration would be clean and green energy, adequate finance, resilient infrastructure and green hydrogen.