Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2021

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the first historic virtual summit of QUAD leaders along with US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.
The leaders discussed economic & health impacts of Covid-19, combat climate change & address challenges, including in cyberspace, counterterrorism, quality infrastructure investment & humanitarian-assistance, disaster-relief.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the celebration of 75 years of independence ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ by flagging off a symbolic 386-km “Dandi March” from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad to Dandi.
The event marked the 91st anniversary of the historic salt march led by Mahatma Gandhi. He also launched various other cultural and digital initiatives for the India@75 celebrations.

Notes:
The Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) of Uttarakhand has signed an MoU with IBM to improve the education standards among the female children of the state.
The MOU for ‘IBM STEM for Girls’ program, is proposed to be introduced in 130 secondary and higher secondary schools across five districts in the state.

Notes:
The European Commission released the European Green Deal in December 2020 and set a deadline of March 2021 to propose the first-ever European Climate Law.
The document highlights plans to implement a carbon border agreement. It aims to avoid carbon leakage from less determined nations who are likely to continue depending on fossil-fuel based energy sources.

Notes:
The Government of India’s “Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region” headed by M.M. Kutty has been dissolved within five months of its constitution.
The commission was set up vide an ordinance in October 2020 and the ordinance has lapsed recently. Hence. It failed to become an act.

Notes:
A tribal congregation-Vanvasi Samagam was organised in Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh. President Ramnath Kovind participated in the congregation as Chief Guest.
The President also inaugurated the newly constructed building of Seva Kunj Ashram. The construction of school and hostel buildings were undertaken by NTPC.

Notes:
The highest honours in the music industry – Grammy awards were announced recently and presented to the winners. The function was hosted by South African comedian, television host and producer Trevor Noah.
Taylor Swift’s music album “Folklore” was adjudged the Grammys Album of the Year Award.

Notes:
My Life in Full: Work, Family and Our Future, is the memoir of 65-year-old former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi.
It will be published in the month of September 2021 by Portfolio books. It narrates her life from childhood till her becoming one of the world’s most powerful women. Indra Nooyi served as the CEO of PepsiCo for 12 years and worked there for 24 years.

Notes:
The Marine Aids to Navigation Bill, 2021 was recently introduced in the Lok Sabha. The bill seeks to provide a new framework to establish and manage vessel traffic services.
It also seeks to use the term “marine aids to navigation” instead of “lighthouse” to facilitate use of modern forms of aids to navigation. It aims to repeal the colonial Lighthouse Act, 1927, and empower the DG of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) with additional power.

Notes:
The Cabinet has cleared a Bill to set up a development financial institution (DFI) with an initial paid-up capital of Rs 20,000 crore.
The DFI aims to mobilise around Rs 3 trillion from markets in a few years to provide long term funds to infrastructure projects. The government will give Rs 5,000 crore as grants to the institution. The DFI will be government-owned at first and the stake will be brought down to 26 per cent.