Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2021

Notes:
The National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation releases the All-India Consumer Price Index Numbers.
In the recently released index for the months of February 2021, the All-India Consumer Price Index Numbers for Agricultural Labourers stood at 1037, while the same for Rural Labourers stood at 1044.

Notes:
Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has notified draft rules for setting up Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility (RVSF).
Government is to develop a portal for single window clearance, where the application is posted with documents and fee. State and UT governments would clear the proposal in a prompt manner within 60 days.

Notes:
UNESCO has partnered with United Schools Organization India (USO India), Water Digest magazine and Toonz Media Group for water conservation awareness programme.
The H2Ooooh! – Waterwise Program is conducted for school students, in partnership with National Mission for Clean Ganga. The animation videos created by students will be launched on March 22, the World Water Day.

Notes:
As per the National Accounts Statistics (NAS) 2021, released by MoSPI, the private final consumption expenditure (PFCE) on health, education and restaurants recorded an increase in 2019-20.
The highest increase is recorded in the field of health at 9.5%, followed by education and restaurants. The PFCE on Alcoholic beverages, clothing and foot wear recorded a steep fall during the said period.

Notes:
The Labour Bureau has entered into an agreement with Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Ltd (BECIL) for providing technical and manpower support while conducting all India surveys of migrants and quarterly establishment surveys.
The surveys conducted by the bureau will be integrated with the technology provided by BEICL. BEICL is a Government of India enterprise under the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Notes:
Israel held its 4th parliamentary election in the last two years. The exit polls conducted did not show any clear winner.
This election was triggered in December 2020, when the country’s parliament failed to agree a budget. It ended a seven-month power sharing arrangement between Netanyahu and his main rival Benny Gantz.

Notes:
India announced that the Gandhi Peace Prize for 2019 and 2020 will be conferred on late Omani Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said and Bangladeshi leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman respectively.
The leaders have been selected for their contributions to social and political transformation through non-violent methods. Though the selection procedure does not include posthumous method, this time a social exemption was made.

Notes:
India and the U.S. have recently agreed to re-establish the U.S.- India Homeland Security Dialogue, as per the announcement of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The Dialogue aims to discuss important issues such as cybersecurity and emerging technology. It also aims to address violent extremism. The first Homeland Security Dialogue between the two countries was held in 2011.

Notes:
The Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde has recommended Justice N V Ramana as his successor, after being asked by the Central Government.
The CJI is due to retire on April 23. The Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will place the CJI’s recommendation before the Prime Minister, who will advise the President in the matter of appointment.

Notes:
The torch relay for the Tokyo Summer Olympic games 2021 has commenced from Japan. This relay is set to make its way across Japan for a duration of 121 days and would culminate the start of games in July this year.
The journey will take the torch to 859 municipalities in all 47 Japanese prefectures.