Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2021

Notes:
The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) released the World Economic Situation and Prospects 2021.
As per the report, India’s economy is projected to grow at 7.3 per cent in 2021 while it is estimated to contract by 9.6 per cent in 2020. According to the UN, the reasons for the contraction are the lockdown and the fallen domestic consumption.

Notes:
The United States President Joe Biden signed an executive order, which would impose rules on government procurement practices.
Dubbed as the ‘Buy American’ order, it aims to strengthen domestic manufacturing and ensure better access to small and midsize businesses. This is a part of the ‘Build Back Better recovery plan’ proposed by Joe Biden.

Notes:
Giuseppe Conte resigned as Italian prime minister, as he lost the majority in the Senate due to a recent coalition rupture.
The Italian President Sergio Mattarella is set to hold formal consultations with all the parties before deciding the course of action.

Notes:
World Economic Forum (WEF) launched a global coalition at the ongoing Davos Agenda Summit to end racism at work place.
It has been named as “Partnering for Racial Justice in Business” initiative. Recently, Indian companies Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services joined the alliance, whose founding members include 48 organisations including Google, Microsoft, Deutsche Bank, EY, among others.

Notes:
India announced a pledge of USD 150,000 to the programmes and activities of the UN peacebuilding fund this year.
TS Tirumurti, permanent representative of India to the United Nations announced this in a virtual address to the High-Level Replenishment Conference for the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund.

Notes:
The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board (UPSCWB) officially launched the Dhannipur project on the allocated five-acre land at Dhannipur village of Ayodhya.
The Dhannipur project comprises of a mosque, hospital, museum, library, community kitchen, Indo-Islamic Cultural Research Centre and Publication House. The land was allotted in compliance with the Supreme Court directives in the Ayodhya title dispute case.

Notes:
The Union Health Ministry released the National Non-communicable Disease Monitoring Survey (NNMS).
In the survey conducted during 2017-18, it was revealed that two in five adults in India have three or more risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCD). The Health Minister also launched a framework on use of telemedicine for cancer, diabetes, heart diseases and stroke in India.

Notes:
Republic of Chad, a land locked country in North – Central Africa, has requested the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for debt restructuring, under the new common framework. Chad’s request makes it the first country to seek debt restructuring from IMF.
Chad has been struggling with high debt burden against a backdrop of the coronavirus crisis.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet has cleared and approved the Policy on privatisation of public sector undertakings (PSUs). The policy would lay a detailed road map for presence of government ownership in strategic and non-strategic sectors of the country.
The Government has proposed for the presence of 1 to 4 Government owned entities in strategic sectors and completely exit from non-strategic sectors.

Notes:
The state government of Rajasthan has recently reduced value-added tax (VAT) by two percent on petrol and diesel. This has relaxed the fuel prices in the state. Recently, the price of premium petrol price crossed Rs.100 in the state.
Petrol, Diesel and other fuels in India have been kept outside the ambit of Goods and Services Tax (GST). Presently, the state governments determine the VAT on these fuels.