Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2024

Notes:
The government plans to introduce a new highway toll collection system using the global navigation satellite system. The objective is to enable pay-as-you-use tolling, allowing users to pay based on actual distance traveled. The system involves an On-Board Unit (OBU) inside vehicles, utilizing GAGAN for accurate location tracking. Digital image processing will log national highway coordinates, assigning toll rates through software to calculate and deduct toll amounts from a linked OBU wallet based on distance traveled.

Notes:
Asif Ali Zardari is the 14th president of Pakistan. He was sworn in on March 10, 2024, replacing Dr. Arif Alvi.Zardari is a veteran politician who has been the president of Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians and co-chairperson of the Pakistan People’s Party. He is the first president to be elected twice to the office.

Notes:
India successfully conducted the inaugural flight test of the Agni-5 nuclear ballistic missile on March 11, 2024, as part of the Make in India initiative by DRDO. The indigenously developed missile incorporates MIRV technology, allowing a single missile to deploy multiple warheads across different locations. Referred to as ‘Mission Divyastra’ by PM Modi, Agni-5 marks a significant advancement as it can simultaneously target multiple locations, in contrast to conventional missiles with a single warhead for a solitary target.

Notes:
Kishor Makwana assumed the position of Chairman of the National Scheduled Castes Commission (NCSC), appointed by the President of India. Luv Kush Kumar also joined as a member on the same day. The NCSC, a constitutional body, works to prevent the exploitation of Scheduled Castes (SC) and promotes their social, educational, economic, and cultural interests in India.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Petronet LNG’s Petrochemicals Complex in Dahej, costing over Rs 20,000 crore. The complex aims to boost national hydrogen production and polypropylene demand, ensuring a brighter future for India’s youth. Additionally, 50 ‘Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Jan Aushadhi Kendra’ were dedicated to the nation from Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The complex features ethane and propane handling facilities, valued at Rs 20,600 crore.

Notes:
India signed the protocol for the establishment of the Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) with the Dominican Republic at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Santo Domingo. Ramu Abbagani, India’s ambassador to the Dominican Republic, and Roberto Álvarez, the Dominican Republic’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, signed the agreement. India and the Dominican Republic don’t currently have a bilateral institutional mechanism for trade and commerce. India primarily imports gold from the Dominican Republic, and exports pharmaceuticals, marine products, motor vehicles, and two and three wheelers to them.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, granted ex-post facto approval to the Inter-Governmental Framework Agreement (IGFA) signed on February 13, 2024, between India and the UAE. The IGFA aims to enhance bilateral relations and strengthen cooperation in Ports, Maritime, and Logistics sectors. It outlines cooperation areas, joint investment prospects, and sets guidelines aligned with respective jurisdictions, fostering development of the India-Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).

Notes:
Scientists recently discovered a massive volcano on Mars called Noctis, which is located on the eastern edge of Tharsis, a broad regional topographic rise. The volcano is 9,022 meters high and 450 kilometers wide, which makes it almost 200 meters taller than Mount Everest. It’s located south of Mars’ equator, in Eastern Noctis Labyrinthus, west of Valles Marineris, the planet’s vast canyon system. Scientists discovered Noctis using data from NASA’s Mariner 9, Viking Orbiter 1 and 2, Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Odyssey, and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter missions, as well as ESA’s Mars Express mission.

Notes:
National Vaccination Day, celebrated annually on March 16, signifies collective commitment to public health. Its 2024 theme, “Vaccines Work for All,” emphasizes universal protection against diseases through vaccination. Originating in 1995 with India’s Pulse Polio Vaccination Program, it also commemorates WHO’s polio eradication initiative since 1988. Notably, it marks the 1975 eradication of smallpox. This day underscores the vital role of vaccination in preventing infectious diseases globally.

Notes:
The ‘Startup Mahakumbh’ is set from March 18-20, 2024, at Bharat Mandapam and India Trade Promotion Organization in New Delhi. Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary of the Department of Industrial Promotion and Internal Trade, believes it will boost innovation ranking. Over 34 deep-tech startups will exhibit innovations at the NASSCOM Pavilion during the three-day event.