Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2018

Notes:
India has successfully test-fired Anti Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM) Nag in desert conditions against two tank targets at different ranges and timings on Feb 28, 2018. With this, the developmental trials of the missile have been completed and it is now ready for induction. The third-generation ‘fire-and-forget’ anti-tank missile ‘Nag’ has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP). It has a operational range of 500m to 4km (Land version) & 7-10km (Air-launched).

Notes:
The Nathpa Jhakri Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the Sutlej river in Himachal Pradesh. The primary purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power production and it supplies a 1,500 megawatts underground power station with water. Before reaching the power station, water is diverted through a 27.4 km headrace tunnel.

Notes:
The All India Radio (AIR) and National Book Trust (NBT) has recently signed a MoU to preserve and promote cultural heritage and folk songs sung on various occasion across the country. Several traditional and folk songs have been recorded under the Akashvani Lok Sampada Sanrakhshan Mahapariyojana. The MoU was inked in presence of Director General of AIR, F. Shehreyar and NBT Chairman, Baldeo Bhai Sharma in New Delhi. Through NBT, All India Radio will provide information to people about the rich heritage of folk songs preserved by it. The NBT will publish the Sanskar and folk songs. The NBT is an Indian publishing house functions under aegis of Ministry of Human Resource The headquarters of NBT is located in Vasant Kunj, Delhi.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet has approved the establishment of National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA). The NFRA will act as an independent regulator for the auditing profession which was one of the key changes brought in by the Companies Act 2013. The jurisdiction of NFRA for investigation of Chartered Accountants and their firms will be extended to the listed companies and large unlisted public companies. The Cabinet also gave nod to the Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill – 2018 to deal with those escaping overseas to avoid getting caught. The Bill will help in laying down measures to deter economic offenders from evading the process of Indian law by remaining outside the jurisdiction of Indian Courts. According to Union Finance ministry, the economic offences worth Rs 100 crore or more will come under the purview of the Bill.

Notes:
The Indian Snooker team has lifted the first edition of IBSF Snooker Team World Cup title and won the prize money of $15,000. The Indian duo of Pankaj Advani and Manan Chandra defeated Pakistan (Muhammad Asif, Babar Masih) in the best-of-five final played in Doha on March 2.

Notes:
The Odisha government has launched a programme “Ama Gaon, Ama Vikas (Our Village, our development)” to reach out to the people in rural areas and involve themselves in the developmental activities. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has flagged off mobile video vans for ‘Ama Gaon Ama Vikas’ programme that will move across the State to highlight various welfare schemes at villages in the state. Through these Wi-Fi enabled latest technology video wall vans, people can directly send their grievances to the Chief Minister’s Office at the Secretariat in Bhubaneswar. This initiative will help people in solving their grievances instantly.

Notes:
Prafulla Das (91), the renowned litterateur, has passed at Rajkanika in Kendrapara district of Odisha on March 3, 2018. He was a recipient of the prestigious “Sarala Award” for his achievement in the literary field. ‘Banhimana’, the biography of freedom fighter Malati Chaudhury, brought him the Sarala Award in 2014. Das had written a number of books on the history of India’s freedom struggle and the role of Odisha.

Notes:
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the noted an Indian cricketer, has become a brand ambassador of gaming platform Dream11 on March 5, 2018. Dhoni, who had led the country to a famous triumph in the inaugural World T20 Championship in 2007, would be the new face of the gaming platform’s multi-channel marketing campaigns and brand engagement activities. Dhoni captained the Indian team in limited-overs formats from 2007 to 2016 and in Test cricket from 2008 to 2014. Currently the gaming platform has a user base of 2 crore sports fans playing “fantasy cricket, football, kabaddi and NBA.

Notes:
Conrad Sangma, the President of National People’s Party (NPP) & currently a Member of Parliament (MP) from Tura Lok Sabha constituency, has been sworn-in as the 12th Chief Minister of Meghalaya. He is the son of former Lok Sabha Speaker late PA Sangma. NPP won 19 seats in the recently held Assembly polls and cobbled up a coalition government in the state with the support of other regional parties, the BJP and an Independent MLA. P A Sangma was a former Union minister and Lok Sabha speaker. He was also the Meghalaya chief minister from 1988 to 1990.

Notes:
The Union government has set up a steering committee to consider various issues relating to the development of Fintech space in India with a view to make Fintech related regulations more flexible and generate enhanced entrepreneurship. The move is a follow up to the announcement made by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his Budget speech of 2018-19. The 8-member committee headed by Economic Affairs Secretary, Subhash Chandra Garg will also focus on how Fintech can be leveraged to enhance financial inclusion of MSMEs. According to the terms and reference, the committee will take stock of the developments in the fintech sector globally, and in India. It will also work with Government agencies like UIDAI to explore creation and use of unique enterprise identification number.