Current Affairs Quiz - March 2022

Notes:
Lok Sabha Member and Actor Hema Malini asked the government if it has any plan to encourage artists from Mathura-Vrindavan involved in Sanjhi art.
Sanjhi art is a unique craft form that features exquisite designs and picture motifs, cut into paper. Originated in Mathura in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Sanjhi painting is also practised in Vrindavan.

Notes:
The Polar Science and Cryosphere Research (PACER) scheme is implemented through National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
It comprises of the Antarctic program, Indian Arctic program, Southern Ocean program and Cryosphere and Climate program. The scheme is organising 41st Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica. PACER scheme has recently been approved for continuation during 2021-2026.

Notes:
Yoga Mahotsav 2022 is a campaign for 100 days, 100 organizations at 100 places, with an objective to give wider promotion to various dimensions of Yoga.
It also aims to promote the 100 days countdown campaign to IDY-2022 for Health, Well-being and World Peace. National Institute of Naturopathy (NIN), Ministry of Ayush, will conduct a yoga session on ‘Common Yoga Protocol’ at Aga Khan Palace, a Gandhi Heritage site at Pune.

Notes:
The Fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP-4) was held recently at Bali, Indonesia.
It had been decided that 10 types of products contain mercury that can be phased out, while the use of four types of products with mercury should be reviewed at COP-5 in Geneva, Switzerland. ‘Bali Declaration’ was unveiled to prevent illegal mercury trade.

Notes:
‘Prasthan’ is an offshore security exercise, conducted by the Indian Navy every six months. It includes participation from the Indian Air Force, Coast Guard, ONGC, Mumbai Port Trust, Customs, state fisheries department, Marine Police among others.
This exercise aims to ensure offshore security and to integrate efforts of all maritime stakeholders involved in offshore defence.

Notes:
Small industries development bank of India (SIDBI), has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Meghalaya infrastructure development and finance corporation.
It is a government body to develop the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) ecosystem in the state. Under the MoU, SIDBI and Meghalaya government will work to ensure the development of the MSME ecosystem in the state.

Notes:
The ‘National Tuberculosis Prevalence Survey’ was recently released by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. He also released the country’s ‘annual TB report’
As per the report, Delhi had the highest prevalence (747) in 2019-2021 while Gujarat had the lowest (137). TB prevalence among India’s adults was 312 per 100,000 in 2019-2021. For every 2.84 persons with TB, only 1 was registered in the national surveillance system.

Notes:
IIT Kharagpur has launched the peta-scale supercomputer PARAM Shakti inaugurated by West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar.
PARAM Shakti was developed under the National Supercomputing Mission, a joint initiative of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Department of Science and Technology. Supercomputer ‘PARAM Ganga’ was earlier installed at IIT Roorkee.

Notes:
The Punjab Government made a resolution to install three statues in the Assembly Building of Capitol Complex, Chandigarh. It was opposed by Heritage Experts of the city
The Edict of Chandigarh is a rule book prescribed by Le Corbusier, the planner of Chandigarh. Other than statues, the Edict also specifies a complete ban on noise and commercial structures at the Sukhna Lake.

Notes:
Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. Has launched the world’s longest commercial passenger flight by distance.
It has planned to reroute its New York-Hong Kong service to avoid Russian airspace, and that would be the longest flight. The distance of 16,618 kilometers is covered at 17 hours would surpass Singapore Airlines’ New York service, which takes about 17-and-a-half hours to cover 15,349 km.