Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2018

Notes:
The Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes (CIRB) has claimed that India’s first cloned Assamese buffalo male calf ‘Sach-Gaurav’ has born in Hisar, Haryana on December 22, 2017. The calf was born to a Murrah buffalo through a normal delivery. It was also the first to be born in the field, 100 kms from the cloning laboratory at Hi Tech Sach Dairy Farm. The birth weight of the calf was 54.2 kgs and it was in good health. It had normal physiological parameters and blood profile. The genotype of the calf was confirmed by microsatellite analysis (parentage verification) and chromosome analysis. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research-CIRB is a central institute and it has a mandate to conserve superior animals of all buffalo breeds.

Notes:
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has recently released the Andhra Pradesh Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) Report 2017. According to the report, the State secured an Index value of 0.0825 (value ranges from 0 to 1; 0 being the best and 1 being the worst). It is equivalent to 51st rank globally. India, with an Index value of 0.1911 is at the 66th position. Within the state, East Godavari is the top district with a value of 0.0468 and Vizianagaram is at the bottom of the table with a value of 0.1271. The study was conducted by the Vision Management Unit (VMU) of the Planning Department in collaboration with the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) of the University of Oxford, UK. By conducting MPI study, the Andhra Pradesh has become the first Indian state to conduct a household survey exclusively to estimate the MPI at the State and district levels.

Notes:
The first-ever National workshop on Poshan Abhiyaan has started at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra in New Delhi on March 20, 2018 to implement the campaign in a fast track mode across the country. The Ministry of Women and Child Development is organising the day long workshop in which all states and union territories are participating. The workshop will provide a complete orientation on the campaign to provide handholding in using the softwares involved and to augment the convergence with different Ministries in implementing the campaign for improved Nutritional outcomes. POSHAN Abhiyaan was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan on March 8, 2018. It has been set up with a three year budget of Rs 9046.17 crore commencing from 2017-18. It aims to ensure holistic development and adequate nutrition for pregnant women, mothers and children. The programme also targets to reduce the level of stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia and low birth rate.

Notes:
The 17th Annual Conference of International Competition Network 2018 (ICN2018) has started in New Delhi from 21st March 2018. This is the first time India is hosting the ICN Annual Conference since it joined International Competition Network (ICN) in 2009. The 3-day conference will provide an opportunity to exchange ideas and strategies for effective enforcement of competition law and for strengthening cooperation amongst the competition authorities as they strive to promote and sustain competition in rapidly changing markets. ICN is an international body comprising 132 members from 120 competition jurisdictions exclusively devoted to international competition enforcement. It’s main purpose is to improve and advocate for sound competition policy and its enforcement across the global antitrust community.

Notes:
The World Down syndrome Day (WDSD) is observed every year on March 21 to raise public awareness about the syndrome and well being of people with Down syndrome. The 2018 theme “What I Bring To My Community” demonstrates that how people with Down syndrome can and do make meaningful contributions throughout their lives, whether in schools, workplaces, living in the community, public and political life, culture, media, recreation, leisure and sport. The Down syndrome is a naturally occurring chromosomal arrangement that has always been a part of the human condition, exists in all regions across the globe and commonly results in variable effects on learning styles, physical characteristics or health.

Notes:
The Government of India (GoI) had constituted an 8-member task force under CBDT member Arvind Modi in November 2017 to review the Income-tax Act of 1961 and to draft a new Direct Tax Law in consonance with the economic needs of the country. Recently, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has invited suggestions and feedback from stakeholders and general public in the format provided on the departmental website. It stated that the format can be downloaded from the website and suggestions may be sent through e-mail at [email protected], latest by 2nd of next month. The task force will also study the direct tax system in other countries and also keep in mind international best practices. The committee will submit its report in May 2018.

Notes:
Bihar has celebrated its 106th foundation day on March 22, 2018. A number of programmes have been organized throughout the state on the occasion. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated a 3-day Bihar Diwas celebrations in Patna and also released 4 books- ‘Ek Tha Mohan’, ‘Bapu Ki Chiththi’, ‘Champaran Ki Kahani’ and ‘Neel Ke Dhabbe’ on this occasion. The 2018 theme for this year’s celebrations is “Centenary of Champaran Satyagraha and Elimination of Dowry and Child Marriage”. It was on this day when the British carved out the state from Bengal Presidency in 1912. Before that Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa were part of the Bengal province during the British rule.

Notes:
The World Water Day (WWD) is observed every year on 22 March to raise awareness about the importance of water. The 2018 theme ‘Nature for Water’ is exploring nature-based solutions to the water challenges the world faces in the 21st century. The day is about focusing on the importance of water and the need to preserve it. The day encourages people not to waste one of the most important elements that sustain life on the planet. An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro. The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day.

Notes:
Star shuttler P V Sindhu has been named the flag-bearer of the Indian contingent for the opening ceremony of the 2018 Commonwealth Games (CWG), which scheduled to be held in Gold Coast, Australia on April 4. India will see participation of 222 athletes from 15 different sports including aquatics, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, hockey, lawn bowls, shooting, squash, table tennis, weightlifting, wrestling and para sports in the quadrennial sport. In the 2014 CWG in Glasgow, Sindhu bagged a bronze in Women’s Singles. It must be noted that Pistol shooter Vijay Kumar was the flag-bearer in 2014 Commonwealth Games, while 2008 Olympic champion shooter Abhinav Bindra had the honour when India hosted the Games in 2010. In the 2006 Melbourne Games, India’s flag-bearer was double trap shooter Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, who is currently the Sports Minister.

Notes:
ISRO has signed a Technology Transfer Agreement (TTA) with Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) to transfer the technology for the manufacture of space-grade Li-Ion cells. The TTA was signed at ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru on 23rd March 2018 in the presence of Dr K. Sivan, Chairman of ISRO, and Atul Sobti, Chairman & Managing Director of BHEL. ISRO uses Li-Ion batteries as the power source for satellite and launch vehicle applications due to their high energy density, reliability and long cycle life. This Li-ion cell Technology Transfer will enable BHEL to produce space grade Li-Ion cells which can meet the country’s space programme requirements. This technology can also be adopted to cater to the Li-Ion cell requirement for other national needs.