Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2021

Notes:
India celebrates National Voters Day on January 25 every year to commemorate the foundation day of the Election Commission of India.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) was founded in 1950 on the same day and this occasion was first celebrated in 2011. This year’s theme is “Making Our Voters Empowered, Vigilant, Safe and Informed”. ECI launched e-EPIC (Electronic Electoral Photo Identity Card), as a part of celebration.

Notes:
The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh has recently launched a mobile app named ‘Udyam Sarathi’ for seeking employment, as a part of the 3-day event marking UP DIWAS.
The state also announced the proposal to launch ‘Abhyudaya’ coaching centres, which would benefit the students who are preparing for various competitive examinations.

Notes:
Estonia’s two biggest political parties – the Reform Party and the Centre Party have agreed upon a deal to form a new government, which would be headed by Kaja Kallas.
If approved by the law makers, she would become the first women Prime Minster of Estonia. Earlier, the previous Government collapsed on charges of corruption scandal.

Notes:
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for milling copra and ball copra.
As per M S Swaminathan recommendations, the increase in MSP has been approved. The MSP of copra was raised by Rs 375 from the previous year, 2020 to Rs 10,335 per quintal. Farmers of 12 coastal states are likely to impact by the price hike.

Notes:
As per media reports, the Government has appointed an expert panel to review industry’s objections to the proposed ban on 27 widely used pesticides.
Former assistant director general of ICAR, TP Rajendran is to chair the committee, which will submit the report in next three months. The Government has proposed to ban 27 pesticides, which are said to be harmful to animals and humans.

Notes:
The Union Health Ministry released the ‘National Non-communicable Disease Monitoring Survey (NNMS)’, conducted during the period of 2017–18
As per the survey, two in five adults have three or more risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCD) in India. ‘Framework for Telemedicine use in Management of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke in India’ was launched.

Notes:
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has recently released a report titled – Global Climate Litigation Report: 2020 – Status Review. The report provides an overview of climate change litigation and its trends globally.
As per the report, the number of climate litigation cases around the world has almost doubled in the last three years.

Notes:
The report titled “World Gold Demand Trends” has been released by the World Gold Council. As per the report, Gold purchase by central banks of various countries declined sharply in 2020 and fell by nearly 60% to 272.9 tonnes.
The decline in purchase was most particular in Q2 of the FY 2020-21.

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.