Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2023

Notes:
International Monetary Fund (IMF) has cut its GDP growth forecast for India for the financial year 2023-24 by 20 basis points to 5.9 per cent.
In its latest bi-annual World Economic Outlook, RBI also announced that India’s retail inflation to ease from 6.7 per cent in FY23 to 4.9 per cent in FY24 and current account deficit to come down to 2.2 per cent of GDP from 2.6 per cent in FY23.

Notes:
Cyclone Ilsa is a category 5 storm that recently made landfall into a remote stretch of coast in Western Australia.
Its high wind speeds broke previous records that were set around a decade ago in the same place. Severe Tropical Cyclone Ilsa struck the places close to Port Hedland, the world’s largest iron ore export hub.

Notes:
The Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) is a 6-meter diameter telescope situated in Chile’s Cerro Toco in the Atacama Desert.
It was used to create a detailed map of dark matter, which agrees with Einstein’s theory of gravity.

Notes:
Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala has launched the Animal Pandemic Preparedness Initiative under the National One Health Mission.
He also launched the World Bank-funded Animal Health System Support for One Health to enhance India’s preparedness and response to potential animal pandemics, in line with the One Health approach.

Notes:
Uttaramerur inscription was mentioned by Prime Minister Modi recently. This inscription was created during the reign of Parantaka Chola I (907-953 AD)
The walls of the Vaikunda Perumal Temple in Uttaramerur are inscribed with details revealing systems of local governance from the 10th century CE.

Notes:
Pohela Boishakh, also known as Bengali New Year, is a significant cultural festival in Bangladesh and the Bengali-speaking states of India including West Bengal.
The festival is celebrated on the first day of the Bengali calendar, which usually falls in the month of April. This year, it is celebrated on April 15.

Notes:
Union Tourism Minister G Krishan Reddy and Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr. Virendra Kumar flagged off Bharat Gaurav Tourist train to mark the birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar from New Delhi.
Government has developed Panchteerth, five place associated with Dr Ambedkar. During the 8-day tour, the train will cover cities including, New Delhi, Mhow, Nagpur, Varanasi and sacred Buddhist sites like Sanchi, Sarnath, Gayaand Rajgir and Nalanda.

Notes:
Cycas pectinate is a plant species of Genus Cycas which is the found in the north-eastern part of India, Nepal, Bhutan, South China etc. It is the only ‘Cycas’ species found in Bhutan.
It usually grows at an elevation of 300 m to 1200 m and in difficult terrains. A new study has found that this vulnerable species is threatened in the Himalayan country due to habitat loss and its overcollection as an ornamental plant.

Notes:
The Global Food Policy Report, 2023 has been released by the International Food Policy Research Institute. According to the report, there is an increased need for investment beyond short-term to build food systems that are more resilient and equitable.
The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) was established in 1975 and is headquartered at Washington, DC. The institute provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger.

Notes:
Gramdan is the expansion of Bhoodan movement that was started in 1951 by Vinoba Bhave. Under this initiative, the entire village will put its land under a common trust.
At present, seven states in India have 3,660 Gramdan villages, the highest being in Odisha (1309).