Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2018

Notes:
The book ‘Staniya Svasasan Mei Addhi Aabadhi’ has been authored by Dr. Sadhana Pandey, which is released by the Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu, in New Delhi on January 25, 2018. Naidu stated that the book is an empirical study that captures the voices of the rural women who are occupying positions of authority at the local level. It can help the policy makers to understand the perspectives of women representatives and address the key issues of education, health, nutrition, information sharing, economic independence and empowerment.

Notes:
India has been ranked 81st out of 119 countries in the 2018 Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI). The list was developed by Yale and Columbia Universities along with the World Economic Forum (WEF). The global index measures how countries grow attract and retain talent. The list is topped by Switzerland, followed by Singapore and United States. The 2018 report investigates the theme of ‘diversity for competitiveness and explored the benefits of diversity, such as how it can be leveraged for retention, talent development, innovation and sustainability.

Notes:
The documentary titled ‘Kailash’ has won the US Documentary Grand Jury Award at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival at Park City in Utah on January 28. The documentary, which is directed by Derek Doneen, traces the journey of Indian Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi and his efforts to eliminate child trafficking and child labour. The film has been produced by Davis Guggenheim and Sarah Anthony, and co-produced by Purnima Raghunath.

Notes:
President Ram Nath Kovind has launched the countrywide Pulse Polio programme for 2018 by administering polio drops to children below five years at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. The programme will cover around 17 crore children to maintain the country’s polio-free status. The president administered the drops on the eve of 2018 National Immunisation Day (NID), which is observed on January 28.

Notes:
Asha Bhosle, the legendary playback singer, will be awarded with the 5th edition of Yash Chopra Memorial Award 2018 for her outstanding contribution to the Hindi film industry. The award will be presented to her on February 16. The previous recipients are Lata Mangeshkar, Amitabh Bachchan, Rekha and Shah Rukh Khan. The award has been instituted by the TSR Foundation of T. Subbarami Reddy in memory of producer-director Yash Chopra, who died in 2012. Asha Bhosle has officially acknowledged by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most recorded artist in music history. In her illustrious music career spanning nearly seven decades she has recorded over 11,000 songs in 20 different languages. The Government of India (GoI) has honoured her with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2000) and the Padma Vibhushan (2008).

Notes:
To mark the 69th Republic Day 2018, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) have launched the India’s first-ever ‘Khadi Haat’ in Connaught Place, New Delhi. It was inaugurated by Union Minister of State Giriraj Singh. In this Khadi Haat, entrepreneurs under Prime Minister Employment Generation Program (PMEGP) will get an opportunity to display and sell their exquisite products. It will also provide a better platform as well as source of earning for the artisans.

Notes:
Shantanu Narayen, the Indian-American CEO of Adobe, has been elected as the Vice Chairman of the US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF). The USISPF is a new organisation that has been set up to enhance business relations between India and the US. The purpose of the organisation is to promote bilateral trade and work on creating meaningful opportunities that have the power to change the lives of citizens. The USISPF now has 31 board members.

Notes:
The Government of India (GoI) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a $250 million loan agreement for the construction of over 6,200 kilometres all-weather rural roads in Assam, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). The program is aimed at improving rural connectivity, facilitating safer and more efficient access to livelihood and socio-economic opportunities for rural communities through improvements to about 12 thousand kilometres Rural Roads across the 5 States.

Notes:
Radha Mohan Singh, the Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, has launched the Rapid Detection Kits for adulterants (ammonia and formaldehyde) in fresh fish in New Delhi on January 30, 2018, which has been developed by Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), Kochi. Ammonia helps in preventing ice from melting and use of formaldehyde increases the shelf life of fish therefore many people in the fisheries sector are using these chemicals. The kit helps in detecting both the chemicals in the fish. Because, the continuous ingestion of ammonia and formaldehyde can lead to many health issues including abdominal pain, vomiting, unconsciousness, and sometimes even cause death.

Notes:
Chintaman Wanaga, the Member of Parliament (MP) of 16th Lok Sabha from Palghar in Maharashtra, has passed away in New Delhi on January 30, 2018. An advocate by profession, he served as the President of BJP’s Thane district office from 1990 to 1996. He was elected to the Lok Sabha thrice and once as the member of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.