Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2018

Notes:
The Bengaluru-based non-profit organisation, Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy (Janaagraha) has released the 5th edition of its Annual Survey of India’s City-Systems (ASICS) 2017 report. The study evaluated quality of governance in cities by assessing laws, policies and institutional processes currently in place. In its 2017 edition, the survey covered 23 major cities in India across 20 states based on 89 questions. In it, Pune scored 5.1 out of 10 & topped the chart for the first time. It was followed by Kolkata, Thiruvananthapuram, Bhubaneswar and Surat, with scores in the range of 4.6 to 4.5. The report addresses five major issues, and suggests solutions at the local body, State and Central government levels. It underlines the need for sharp focus on City-Systems or institutional reforms to city governance in our cities.

Notes:
KL Rahul has been named as the ‘Cricketer of the Year’ in the 6th edition of Wisden India Almanack. Beside this, Shantha Rangaswamy, India’s first woman superstar, has been inducted into the Wisden India Hall of Fame alongside Erapalli Prasanna. Shantha was the first lady to captain the Indian women’s team. The Almanack pays a tribute to India’s women cricketers, with a wonderful cover picture of celebration at the World Cup. With over 900 pages of essays, commentary, statistics, portraits, and images, Wisden India Almanack is a joyful ride through the entire last season. The magazine also provides insights into the future challenges that are to come.

Notes:
The Odisha government will collaborate with the Thailand-based Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) for strengthening its early warning services and enhancing preparedness for management of hazards in the State. The Odisha State Disaster Mitigation Authority (OSDMA) and RIMES would forge a partnership in the field of drought monitoring and early warning for different natural disasters. RIEMS is owned and managed by 45 collaborating countries in the Asia Pacific and Africa Region. At present, India is chairing RIMES. In collaboration with this intergovernmental body, OSDMA can strengthen its database for more effective management of natural disasters. Odisha is particularly concerned about tsunami originating from the Andamans. Beside this, RIMES is already working with the Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority.

Notes:
India has been ranked 78th among 114 on the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s Energy Transition Index (ETI) 2018. The report titled “Fostering Effective Energy Transition”, ranks countries on how well they are able to balance energy security and access with environmental sustainability and affordability. According to the report India has taken bold measures to improve energy access, energy efficiency, and to improve the deployment of renewable sources of energy. However, energy transition in the country will require large investments, and an enabling environment and robust regulatory frameworks to support the transition. The overall list was topped by Sweden, followed by Norway, Switzerland, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands and UK.

Notes:
The first phase of Indo-French joint naval exercise ‘Varuna 2018’ has kickstarted at the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) in Vasco, Goa on March 19, 2018. The exercise is being held in the Arabian Sea off the Goa coast. French submarine and frigate Jean de Vienne and Indian destroyer INS Mumbai and frigate Trikand with their integral helicopters, Indian submarine Kalvari, P8-1 and Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft and a Mig 29K fighter aircraft are participating in the exercise which will conclude on March 24, 2018. The next two phases would be held off the Chennai coast next month and in La Reunion Island in May 2018. Indian and French navies have been conducting bilateral maritime exercises since May 1993.

Notes:
NITI Aayog has recently released roadmaps for ‘Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital in Education (SATH-E)’ project to introduce system-wide governance transformation in school education. These roadmaps, which operate between 2018 to 2020, lay out detailed interventions which will taken by the 3 participating states – Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha – aiming to become ‘Role Model States’ in school education. To increase learning outcomes in schools across the country, NITI Aayog’s project SATH-E is promoting vocational education, skill development, teacher training and introducing technology in classrooms. Besides, the project will promote data-driven analysis to strengthen academic monitoring across schools in the country. These roadmaps present the customised, action-oriented programmes, outlining interventions at the individual, district and State level. The roadmaps were jointly prepared by NITI Aayog, the three States and the knowledge partners of the SATH Initiatives, the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Piramal Foundation For Education Leadership (PFEL).

Notes:
The 3rd edition of National Conclave on Mines and Minerals has started in New Delhi on March 20, 2018. The representatives of various state governments, mining industry, industry associations, financial and academic institutions will participate in the event. The conclave will provide an effective platform to showcase the recent policy initiatives of the government. It was also enable intensive discussions on issues, challenges and opportunities in the mining sector to realize its optimum potential for the sustainable development of the country. The first edition of the conclave was held in July, 2016 at Raipur, while the second took place in February 2017 in New Delhi.

Notes:
The 7th edition of the Women Science Congress (WSC-2018) has inaugurated by West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi at Manipur University, Imphal on March 18, 2018. The theme of this edition “Reached the Unreached Through Science and Technology” is apt to those areas where the light of scientific development has not spread yet and to those areas where we have not done research on. The WSC-2018 has started in the backdrop of the ongoing 105th Indian Science Congress (ISC-2018) in Manipur University.

Notes:
The World Sparrow Day (WSD) is observed every year on March 20 to highlight the declining population of the bird due to modern infrastructure, pollution by microwave towers and pesticides and lesser green spaces. It is an international initiative by the Nature Forever Society of India in collaboration with the Eco-Sys Action Foundation (France) and numerous other national and international organisations across the world.

Notes:
Sunil Sharma (49), the senior journalist, has passed away in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh on March 19, 2018. Presently, he was working as the bureau chief of Hindi daily ‘Divya Himachal’.