Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2021

Notes:
Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani rolled out the commercial Jute seed distribution scheme. The productive variant of Jute seeds will help enhance the income of Jute farmers.
Jute Corporation of India had signed an MoU with National Seeds Corporation for commercial distribution of around one thousand Metric Tonne jute seeds for the year 2021-22.

Notes:
India’s leading cement maker ACC has launched a new low carbon range of ready mix concrete, in order to cut down carbon emissions.
This has been named as ECOPact. It has been launched in Mumbai and Hyderabad initially and would be rolled out in the entire country in some time.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Minority Affairs is to organise a ‘Mushaira’ event, in which renowned poets from across the country will recite their poems.
The event is to be conducted on February 20, 2021, on the theme ‘Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat’. Mushaira, which is regarded as a poetic symposium is part of the Culture of India and Pakistan. It aims to make younger generation aware of the country’s art and culture.

Notes:
As per a communication issued by the President Ramnath Kovind, Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi was removed from her post.
This step has been taken amid a political crisis in the Puducherry Union territory and ahead of the assembly elections in April-May this year. The additional charge of the UT has been given to the Telengana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan.

Notes:
Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot released the third edition of the Indian Sign Language (ISL) Dictionary.
This edition has 10,000 terms of daily use and technical terms including academic, legal, medical terms. The second edition of the dictionary released in 2019 had 6,000 terms and the first edition released in 2018 had 3,000 terms.

Notes:
The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has been conferred the Skoch Chief Minister of the Year Award.
The award has been provided based on a year-long study of results of the projects being implemented by various state governments of the country. Over 123 projects were implemented in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Notes:
The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) has unveiled the draft blue economy policy in the public domain, inviting suggestions and inputs from various stakeholders.
The draft policy document highlights the strategy that can be adopted by the government to utilise the oceanic resources available in the country. It also has recognised seven thematic areas.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to launch the Mahabahu-Brahmaputra initiative in the state of Assam. It aims to improve connectivity in the eastern states.
Ro-Pax vessel operations would be inaugurated between Neamati-Majuli Island, North Guwahati-South Guwahati and Dhubri-Hatsingimari. The Prime Minister would also launch the foundation stone of two bridges, an Inland Water Transport Terminal at Jogighopa and various tourist jetties on Brahmaputra.

Notes:
According to the Institute of International Finance, the total amount of global debt stood at USD 281 trillion at the end of 2020.
It also revealed that the countries, companies and households raised USD24 trillion last year to tackle the economic crisis created due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The total debt was over 355 per cent of global GDP.

Notes:
The International Solar Alliance (ISA) has proposed to launch World Solar Bank (WSB).
This is proposed to be launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow that is scheduled to be held in November 2021. The ISA is an intergovernmental treaty-based organization headquartered in India.