Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2021

Notes:
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has stated that the Long Period Average (LPA) for this year’s (2021) southwest monsoon is 98 per cent. The department expects a normal monsoon this year and is set to commence from June 2021.
This has a direct positive impact on the agricultural productivity of the country amidst COVID uncertainties.

Notes:
‘OSH&WC’ Code stands for Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code. The Labour Ministry has notified draft rules for setting up of a technical committee under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (OSH&WC Code), 2020.
The committee would help the Government or the National board to be set up under the Code to discharge safety and other related measures across industrial establishments.

Notes:
The “Urban heat island effect” describes cities being warmer than surrounding rural areas. It means that darker, paved surfaces absorb more heat than more natural surroundings.
A recent study found that 94% of lower income communities of color, are exposed to higher temperatures than affluent areas. This is because these lower income communities lack green space and suffer most from urban heat islands.

Notes:
The Startup India Seed Fund has been officially unveiled by the Union Minister for commerce Piyush Goyal.
A sum of Rs.945 crore is allocated for the fund and is expected to benefit more than 3600 startups in the country. Also, it is expected to boost the start-up ecosystem in tier-2 and 3 cities.

Notes:
“Global youth mobilization” aims to fund young people’s ideas to combat the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, in various communities. This is supported by the World Health Organization and United Nations Foundation.
It is also backed by UNICEF, USAID, UNFPA, European Commission, Salesforce, FIFA and Heads of State and Governments from around the world.

Notes:
India has been elected to three bodies of the UN Economic and Social Council recently.
These three bodies include – Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Executive Board of the World Food Programme and Executive Board of the U.N. Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). India will hold these positions for a three year term in all these bodies.

Notes:
Yasukuni Shrine (meaning “Peaceful Country”) is a shrine located in Tokyo, Japan. It commemorates those who died in service of Japan in several wars including the 2.4 million war dead from WWII.
Recently, the Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga sent a ritual offering of potted plant to Yasukuni Shrine, to mark the spring festival. However, China and South Korea were irked by the action of the Prime Minister

Notes:
The Haryana Cabinet approved HARIHAR- Homeless Abandoned and Surrendered Children Rehabilitation Initiative Haryana Policy.
The children abandoned when below 5 years of age and surrendered before turning one-year-old will be eligible for benefits of education, employment, and financial support, up to the age of 25 years or marriage.

Notes:
The Shanghai headquartered New Development Bank (NDB) has launched the USD 1.5 billion benchmark bond, for a term of 5 years.
The net proceeds of the bond issue would be used for financing sustainable development activities and to fund COVID-19 Emergency Program Loans to the Bank’s member countries.

Notes:
After an all-party meet chaired by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, the Tamil Nadu state government decided to reopen the Sterlite copper smelter plant at Thoothukudi.
The plant was permitted to operate for a period of four months to produce medical oxygen. The company will not be allowed to open or operate other plants used for copper production. This plant was shut down by the Government of Tamil Nadu in 2018 after protests from locals.