Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2018

Notes:
The Tamil Nadu Government has set up a 24-hour helpline that would provide information on education and offer guidance to students on March 1, 2018. Chief Minister K Palaniswami has formally launched the toll-free number – 14417 through the 24-hour Education Guidance Centre set up at the Secretariat that would offer information relating to school education and offer guidance to students.

Notes:
India will provide $5 million dollar assistance to Jordan in the form of vaccines and medicines in 2018. Apart from this, India and Jordan have inked 12 agreements in areas including Defence, Health and Cultural Exchange Programme. The other MoUs include cooperation between Prasar Bharati and Jordan TV Cooperation and Indian Institute of Mass Communication and Jordan Media Institute (JMI). The MoU between Prasar Bharti and Jordan TV provides for cooperation in the fields of exchange and co-production of programs, training of personnel and further coordination. The pacts were inked after delegation-level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and King of Jordan Abdullah II Bin Al Hussein in New Delhi. The King Abdullah II arrived in New Delhi on February 27 on a three-day visit to India.

Notes:
Arabinda Muduli (56), the noted Odia Bhajan singer, musician and lyricist, has passed away in Bhubaneswar, Odisha on March 1, 2018. Having rendered over 3,000 songs, Muduli would be remembered for his hit bhajans like Kala Saante Acha Kemante and Jaga Pain Niti Mali Phula. He was a devotee of lord Jagannath and sang only Bhajans. He was a disciple of legendary bhajan singer Bhikari Bal. A musician, singer and lyricist, Muduli enthralled the audience with devotional songs and had won the hearts of millions of people in Odisha and elsewhere.

Notes:
The 42nd Civil Accounts Day (CAD-2018) was celebrated by Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) on March 1 in New Delhi to mark the 42nd anniversary of the beginning of the ICAS on this day in 1976. The ICAA is one of the Civil Services of India (“Group A”), which functions under the Department of Expenditure in the Union Ministry of Finance. It performs a key role in delivery of financial management services for the Government of India. The organisation provides payment services, supports the tax collection system, performs government wide accounting, financial reporting functions, preparation of budget estimates and carries out Internal Audit in civil ministries of the Union Government.

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:
Khagendra Jamataia (64), the Tripura Fisheries and Cooperation minister, has passed away in New Delhi on March 2, 2018. Jamataia was a CPI (M) candidate from the Krishnapur constituency in the February 18 assembly election. Jamatia had joined CPI (M) in 1983 and had been winning from Krishnapur constituency since 1988. This is the second setback for CPI (M) after the death of Ramendra Narayan Debbarma who was contesting from Charilam (ST) constituency.

Notes:
The 19th edition of FICCI Frames has inaugurated by Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smiriti Irani in Mumbai, Maharashtra on March 5, 2018. The 3-day global convention covering the entire gamut of Media and Entertainment Industry will attract not only the industry stakeholders from across the world but also the government policy makers from India and abroad. The event will have more than 35 knowledge sessions by experts besides having over 200 high profile speakers from across the world. This year a first edition of Content Market has been added with over 70 buyers for a curated slate of new Indian Films. A special screening facility has also been set up to introduce festival programmers and key buyers to selected new Indian films. It is attended by nearly 2000 Indian and 800 foreign delegates encompassing the entire universe of media and entertainment.

Notes:
The Punjab Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with e-Governance Foundation (e-Gov) of Nandan Nilekani regarding the managing of electronic governance of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) throughout Punjab. With this, a total of 67 services would be provided online within a span of one year under 12 modules — that are property tax, water and sewerage management, complaints and grievance, licensing, fire service, verification, birth and death, ULB web portal, mobile application, state and ULB dashboards, payroll and financial accounting.

Notes:
The Andaman Nicobar naval command is organizing multinational mega event “Milan 2018” with theme ‘Friendship Across the Seas’ at Port Blair in Andaman & Nicobar islands from March 6 to March 13, 2018. The purpose of Milan 2018 is to enhance regional cooperation for combating Unlawful Activities at sea will be organised. The highlights of Milan 2018 are an international maritime seminar cultural and social exchanges, band concert, ship visit, sports and city parade. For the first time, Oman is also participating in this biennial exercise. This prestigious international event will also see participation of 38 delegates from the 16 participating countries, making it the largest gathering since its inception in 1995.

Notes:
The Odisha government has launched the free sanitary napkin scheme ‘Khushi’ for girl students from Class 6 to 12 in all the government and government-aided schools in the state. The scheme will be implemented by the health and family welfare department of the state at a cost of Rs 70 crore per year.