Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2021

Notes:
People of Tamil Nadu celebrate the ‘Thai Poosam’ festival, which is dedicated for the worship of the Tamil God Lord Muruga.
After the devotees requested to declare the day as a public holiday, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami issued an order for the same. It is also celebrated in some parts of Kerala and in other countries like Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Mauritius and Indonesia.

Notes:
State-owned research agency, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is to install its eco-friendly bio-digester units across the network operated by Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (MAHA–METRO).
DRDO will provide technical support to implement advanced bio-digester Mk-II technology for treating the human waste in the metro rail network.

Notes:
The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi launched the Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) and Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP) in 2015.
The two programmes are being implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture of PSUs under the Ministry of Power. Under the schemes, EESL distributed LED bulbs and LED street lights across the country, to save energy.

Notes:
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) is set to introduce a standard home insurance policy.
Named the ‘Bharat Griha Raksha’, the policy aims to cover the risk of fire and some allied dangers. Natural Catastrophes, Riot, Strike, theft among others. Along with the home building, the policy also covers ‘General Home Contents’ automatically.

Notes:
The Indian Government has approved the memorandum of cooperation on a framework for partnership related to “Specified Skilled Worker” between India and Japan.
As per the agreement, the skilled Indian workers, who have qualified the skill test and Japanese language test, will be granted a new status of residence of ‘Specified Skilled Worker’ by the Government of Japan. They will work in fourteen specified sectors in Japan.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet approved to use funds from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), for the Angamaly-Azhutha Sabari rail project.
The Railways will undertake the construction and maintenance of the project, while development of station will be through public-private partnership and a special purpose vehicle. The income will be shared between the State Government of Kerala and the Railways after deducting the expenses.

Notes:
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved a scheme for the industrial development of Jammu & Kashmir.
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) had proposed for a Central Sector scheme. It has now been approved with a total outlay of Rs 28,400 crore for 17 years, up to the year 2037.

Notes:
Basavanna also called as ‘Basaveshwara’ was a 12th-century statesman, Lingayat saint during the reign of the Kalyani Chalukya dynasty. He is considered a famous icon of the Lingayat community in Karnataka.
Recently, the Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa laid the foundation stone for the Rs 500-crore project ‘New Anubhava Mantapa’ in Basavakalyan. It is considered as the place where the philosopher lived.

Notes:
The Thane Municipal Corporation has taken a first-of-its-kind step and introduced a ‘period room’ in a toilet block located in the corporation.
One out of the ten stalls of the toilet block has been converted into a ‘period room’ with all required amenities. This step is taken to improve menstrual hygiene by breaking the stigma around the process.

Notes:
Air India’s first non-stop flight service between San Francisco and Bengaluru has commenced recently.
It was in the news because the flight is operated by a all-women crew led by the accomplished pilot Captain Zoya Aggarwal. Boeing 777-200LR aircraft is used in the service and operated on Saturdays and Tuesdays.