Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2021

Notes:
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has recently launched a sounding rocket named RH-560 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota Range (SHAR). This rocket aims to study attitudinal variations in the neutral winds and plasma dynamics.
Sounding rockets are one or two-stage solid propellant rockets, which are generally used for probing the upper atmospheric regions for research.

Notes:
The Shetrunjay Hills reserve forest area is located in the state of Gujarat and is home to a large number of Asiatic Lions.
Recently a massive fire broke out in the Shetrunjay Hills reserve forest area and the fire is said to have spread to more than 200 hectares. The fire was put under control by the territorial forest division.

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:
India’s umbrella entity for digital payments – the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has launched the app “UPI-Help” on BHIM UPI.
This application is a grievance redressal application for users of BHIM application. It enables the users to verify the status of transactions and initiate complaints in case of payment failures.

Notes:
22-year-old Indian athlete S Dhanalakshmi won the gold medal in the women’s 100m sprint final of the Federation Cup Senior National Athletics Championships, by clocking 11.39 seconds.
National record holder Dutee Chand was beaten to second place, while veteran Hima Das was disqualified after a false start. Another Tamil Nadu runner Archana Suseendran was third in 11.76.

Notes:
The United Nations Department Of Economic And Social Affairs (DESA) publishes the latest edition of the State of the World’s Indigenous People report.
As per the report, the world’s indigenous peoples live in areas around 80 per cent of the planet’s biodiversity. But many of them still struggle to maintain their legal rights to lands and resources.

Notes:
The lower house of the French parliament, voted in favour of amending the country’s constitution to include climate and biodiversity protection.
The vote on the climate bill marks the first step towards a referendum on the constitutional amendment. In December, French President Emmanuel Macron announced to hold a nationwide referendum on constitutional amendments regarding the fight against climate change.

Notes:
The Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) launched the US India Artificial Intelligence (USIAI) initiative, in the presence of the Department of Science & Technology Secretary.
IUSSTF is a bilateral organisation established by the two countries in 2000, to promote Science, Technology and innovation through mutual interactions. Under the USIAI initiative, new R&D areas and opportunities will be identified.

Notes:
Mobile Seva Appstore is India’s first indigenously developed Appstore. It hosts more than 965 live apps belonging to various domains and categories.
It has been stated by the IT minister that although the Government encourages private players, it is equally interested in developing a app platform equal to that of the private players.

Notes:
The United Nations Development Program-UNDP has launched ‘Sahi Disha’ campaign to promote women’s livelihoods and entrepreneurship in rural India.
The initiative is a five-year collaboration between UNDP and the IKEA Foundation. It has already supported one million women to access job and livelihood opportunities across five states including Delhi NCR and Maharashtra.