Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2023

Notes:
Paytm Payments Bank has become the first platform to launch UPI LITE payments, to enable quick and seamless transactions of up to Rs 200 without having to enter a PIN to make a payment.
UPI LITE is enabled by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and it aids users to carry out multiple small-value UPI transactions without using a PIN.

Notes:
The Snow Festival (Winter Carnival) was organized in the Rafiabad area of Baramulla district in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The aim of this carnival is to promote village tourism and local culture in the Munddaji Rafiabad Baramulla. The Festival was organized by the District Administration Baramulla. It featured music, dance, cultural events, and snow cricket, volleyball, and skiing.

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:
Dibang Hydropower Project, which was approved by the Central Government recently, is India’s largest-ever hydropower project.
It is being set up close to China’s border on the Dibang River, in Arunachal Pradesh’s Lower Dibang Valley District. This project will be developed by National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) with an estimated cost of 319 billion INR.

Notes:
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has been granted approval by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for a new variant of the Hindustan 228-201 LW aircraft.
The recent DGCA approval will enable commercial pilots to fly the aircraft with a reduced qualification requirement, increasing the availability of pilots for the aircraft.

Notes:
The SAMARTH (Scheme for Capacity Building in Textiles Sector) scheme is an umbrella skilling initiative that aims to provide incentives and create jobs in the textile industry.
It will be implemented until March 2024. The Indian Government is planning to rope in more industry partners to boost skill development under the SAMARTH scheme. This initiative is part of the steps taken by the government to make the textile sector worth 250 billion USD by the end of this decade from the present 150-155 billion USD.

Notes:
The Indian Army has proposed the acquisition of an indigenous Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) to fill critical capability gaps in high altitude regions
The ATAGS has been designed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) to replace the current 155 mm artillery system in service, the Bofors towed guns.

Notes:
The World Obesity Federation has released a report “World Obesity Atlas 2023”. This report predicted a significant increase in obesity rates among children and adults in Africa, with a rise of 14% from 5% in child obesity rates and 31% from 18% in adult women by 2035.
The report also warned that over half the world’s population could be overweight or obese by 2035. The highest increases in obesity rates were found in low- and lower-middle-income countries in Africa and Asia.

Notes:
The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment’s flagship program, Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA), aims to raise awareness about substance abuse among youth in India.
It has a particular focus on higher education institutes, university campuses, schools, and community engagement. Recently, the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment and Brahma Kumaris inked a Memorandum of Understanding to make NMBA more effective and widespread.

Notes:
The world’s first 200-meter-long Bamboo Crash Barrier, named “Bahu Balli,” has been installed on the Vani-Warora Highway in Vidarbh, Maharashtra.
It has also been accredited by the Indian Road Congress and provides an eco-friendly alternative to steel barriers with higher recycling value. The ‘Bambusa Balcoa’ bamboo is treated with creosote oil and coated with recycled High-Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE).