Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2023

Notes:
Defender of the Fatherland Day is celebrated in Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Belarus.
Except for Kazakhstan, other countries observe this day on February 23. Kazakhstan observes this day on May 7. Ukraine abolished this holiday in 1992. Defender of the Fatherland Day is observed since 1919 to commemorate the first mass draft into the Red Army during the Russian Civil War. It is now a state holiday in Russia.

Notes:
The government of Bangladesh signed an agreement with the International Solar Alliance (ISA) to increase the use of solar energy in the country.
The agreement is to be implemented by December 2026. Bangladesh has set up a target of generating 40 percent of its total energy through renewable sources by 2041. It aims to produce 4000 MW of solar power by the end of 2030.

Notes:
As per the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, India has the potential to contribute 15 per cent of the global growth in 2023.
On the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Bengaluru, the IMF chief also said that India should completely focus on structural reforms, and make more opportunities for women.  For FY 2023-24, IMF had projected 6.1 per cent GDP growth for India.

Notes:
The preliminary surveys conducted by the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD) found the presence of lithium reserves in Mandya district of Karnataka.
The Central Government has started taking steps to initiate commercial exploration after lithium reserves was discovered earlier in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The AMD is the oldest unit of India’s Department of Atomic Energy.

Notes:
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has recently launched a new security mechanism for Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication.
UIDAI is a statutory body that was established by the Indian Government in January 2009. It comes under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

Notes:
Axis Bank completed acquisition of Citigroup’s India consumer business for an overall consideration of ₹11,603 crore.
The Private sector lender completed acquisition of Citibank’s consumer business and non-banking financial company (NBFC) consumer business. The sale excludes Citi’s institutional client businesses in India.

Notes:
Savita received the Sportstar ACES Sportswoman of the Year award, after she led the team to a Bronze Medal performance at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022. She was also instrumental in the team winning the inaugural FIH Women’s Nations Cup.
PR Sreejesh was named Sportsman of the Year (Team Sports) for his outstanding performance in 2022, which saw the Indian team finish third in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2021-2022, followed by a silver medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022.

Notes:
The Debt Forgiveness Plan was announced the US Government in August last year. This plan vowed to cancel 10,000 USD of student loan debt for individuals earning less than 125,000 USD or for households earning less than $250,000 per annum.
Under this plan, those who are receiving Federal Pell Grants will be given an additional 10,000 USD in debt forgiven.

Notes:
Tunel Wielki, situated in Poland’s Ojców National Park, is an archaeological site located in the karst area.
It has 15 layers in 4.5-meter-deep sediments that provide evidences of early prehistorical cultures, the Middle Ages, and the 19th century. Recently, the oldest known flint tools were discovered in Tunel Wielki cave.

Notes:
The National Safety Day is celebrated on March 4 across India every year. It aims to raise awareness about the importance of health and safety at workplaces and create a culture of safety among the general public.
The National Safety Day commemorates the establishment of the National Safety Council (NSC) of India in 1966. It was observed for the first time in 1972. The theme for National Safety Day 2023 is ‘Our Aim – Zero Harm’.