Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2021

Notes:
India and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) signed a USD 304 million loan agreement for the Assam Intra-State Transmission System Enhancement Project.
The project aims to construct transmission substations and lay required transmission lines. It will also upgrade 15 substations, transmission lines and ground wire to optical power ground wire. The remaining project cost USD 61 million would be financed by the state.

Notes:
As per the recent study by NASA and German Aerospace Center, some microbes are found on the Earth may survive in the Mars.
The researchers tested a new way to expose the bacteria and fungi to Mars-like conditions by launching them in a scientific balloon up to Earth’s stratosphere. This is significant in the success of future missions to the Mars.

Notes:
The second round of Airport Authority of India (AAI) customer satisfaction survey was conducted between July and December 2020, whose results were announced recently. The ranking of airports has been made based on 36 categories of services provided by the airport.
Udaipur has been ranked at No.1 in the survey with a score of 4.84 while Madurai (Tamil Nadu) has emerged at the second position.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet approved a proposal to impose President’s Rule in Puducherry. Earlier, the Congress-led Government in the Union territory lost power during a vote of confidence.
The Cabinet took the decision as no party came forward to stake claim to form the government in the UT, following the resignation of the Chief minister V Narayanasamy. After the Lieutenant Governor had recommended President’s Rule, the Cabinet has approved the same.

Notes:
The Central Government has recently specified 5 million (50 lakh) registered users in India as the threshold for a social media intermediary to be defined a significant social media intermediary.
The term of ‘Significant Social Media intermediary’ is mentioned in the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021.

Notes:
British think-tank, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) said military spending touched USD 1.8 trillion in the year 2020.
Global military spending rose 3.9% compared to the last year. The U.S. remained the world’s largest defence spender in 2020, followed by China. The rapid military expansion of China is the reason for the rise in Asian spending.

Notes:
Madhya Pradesh approved a law to give life imprisonment to food adulterators, with the cabinet recently approving a Penal Law (Madhya Pradesh Amendment) Bill, 2021.
In 2019, a massive rally was organised in the state against food adulteration, with the participation of several citizens of all age groups.

Notes:
The virtual meet of the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors was organised recently under the chairmanship of Italy. India was represented by the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The meeting was aimed to discuss policy actions for economic recovery. Discussion on impact of climate change on financial stability was also made in the meeting.

Notes:
The Chief Minister of Karnataka B.S. Yediyurappa has recently launched the ‘Namma Cargo’ service in the state.
Under this initiative, the state road transport corporation buses would carry cargo parcels to generate additional revenue to the state. This is being implemented in 109 bus stations in Karnataka and select locations of neighbouring states.

Notes:
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has extended the re-appointment of Pramod Chandra Mody as Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).
PC Mody, a 1982-batch Indian Revenue Service officer, was appointed as the CBDT Chairman in February 2019. His tenure was extended in August last year for six months.