Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2021

Notes:
Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) is a statutory body of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science and Technology.
On the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, four young women fellows of National Science Academies have been awarded the SERB Women Excellence Award. The award includes a grant of Rs. 15 lakhs for three years to pursue their research ideas.

Notes:
The Government of India, Government of Chhattisgarh and the World Bank, have recently signed a USD 100 million project.
Under the project, the state would strive for developing sustainable production systems that allows tribal households in remote areas of Chhattisgarh to practice round the year production of diversified and nutritious food.

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:
An unmanned Russian cargo ship launched successfully loaded with supplies for the International Space Station.
Named as ‘Progress MS-16’, the cargo ship blasted off from the Russia’s Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan. The ship is carrying water, propellant and other supplies. It is set to dock at the space outpost two days after the launch.

Notes:
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the Abhyudaya scheme. It aims to provide coaching facilities to the interested candidates for competitive exams like NEET and IIT-JEE.
This scheme would provide facilities similar to that of Kota and Prayagraj to those in other parts of the state who are not able to avail those services. Over 50,000 students are selected under the scheme.

Notes:
Nigerian American economist Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been appointed as the new director-general of World Trade Organization (WTO). With this appointment, she becomes the first African women to be the Chief of WTO.
WTO is an intergovernmental organization that is regulates the trade between nations. It is headquartered at Geneva.

Notes:
The state government of Tamil Nadu has recently launched its new Industrial Policy 2021-2025. It was unveiled by the Chief Minister Edappadi.K.Palaniswami.
The policy aims to attract investment investments worth over ₹10-lakh crore by 2025. Also, it aims to achieve 15% annual growth rate in manufacturing sector.

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:
The first day of the spring called ‘Pahela Phagun’ is celebrated in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The country’s top cultural organisations including the Bangladesh Shilpa Kala Academy held programmes to celebrate the beginning of the spring.
On account of the Covid pandemic, the traditional programme of ‘Basanta Utsab’ at the Fine Arts faculty in Dhaka university was cancelled.

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.