Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2021

Notes:
The Department of Science and Technology has announced major changes to India’s mapping policy. This step aims to enable the Indian companies access to modern mapping technologies.
As per the guidelines released by the Science and Technology Ministry, there are no restrictions for acquiring and producing geospatial data and geospatial data services including maps.

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:
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced that it will provide Rs 100 crore loan to Gurgaon-based hospital chain Medanta.
The financial assistance would aid the multi-speciality hospital chain in enhancing healthcare services and medical equipment to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. It also includes staff training programmes on infection control.

Notes:
Indian Origin investment and development banker Preeti Sinha has been appointed as the Executive Secretary of UN Capital Development Fund.
It is an organisation that provides micro finance access to Least Developed Countries (LDCs). It is headquartered in New York.

Notes:
Giant Leatherback turtle are the largest of the seven species of sea turtles. They are found in all oceans except the Arctic and the Antarctic.
In the Indian ocean, they nest at Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Government’s proposal for tourism promotion and port development will threaten this species, which is accorded legal protection by listing in Schedule I of India’s Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

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:
The Union Cabinet recently approved a Rs 12,195-crore Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for domestic manufacturing of telecom and networking products.
The products include switches, routers, radio access network, wireless equipment and other internet of things (IoT) access devices. With this, the total number of sectors stand at 13, for which incentives of 4 to 6 per cent would be provided by the Government.

Notes:
A Damage Control Simulator (DCS) for the Indian Navy would be set up in Port Blair of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The Commander in Chief of Andaman and Nicobar Command – Lt. Gen. Manoj Pande laid the foundation stone for the DCS. It would be established by Goa Shipyard Ltd.

Notes:
Uttar Pradesh is set to export a consignment of 20 tonnes of Buddha Rice, also known as “Kala Namak” Rice to Singapore.
This variety of rice is one of the finest varieties of aromatic rice in India. This will boost the farm exports of the states with more focus on the Buddhist countries. The state Government has declared it as the One District One Product (ODOP) of Siddharth Nagar district.

Notes:
Bird Count of India organised a campus bird count (CBC) in the Mangalore University, as a part of Great Backyard Bird Count.
During the process, the team of bird watchers spotted 108 species of birds including Yellow-Billed Babbler, Green Sandpiper, and Grey-Necked Bunting. With this, the counting process recorded a total of 146 species in the campus in six years.