Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2018

Notes:
Satya Pal Malik, the Governor of Bihar, has been given additional charge as the Governor of Odisha after Dr. SC Jamir completed his five-year tenure. A communique issued by the President’s Secretariat stated that Malik will remain in-charge of Odisha until regular arrangements are made for the office of Odisha Governor.

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 Salal Hydroelectric Power Station (SHPS) is a run-of-the-river power project on the Chenab River in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

Notes:
The Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently approved the launch of Ayushman Bharat -National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM) in New Delhi on March 21, 2018. The scheme has the benefit cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year. The target beneficiaries under the scheme will be over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families. The benefits of the scheme are portable across the country. A beneficiary will be allowed to take cashless benefits from any public and private empaneled hospitals across the country. The AB-NHPM will subsume the ongoing centrally sponsored schemes- Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) and senior citizen health insurance scheme.

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:
The Union government has decided to declare 2018 as ‘National Year of Millets’ to boost the cultivation of millets like ragi and jowar on a mission mode to achieve nutritional security. This was stated by Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh while addressing MPs in a consultative committee meeting in New Delhi on March 22, 2018. The Minister stated that millet cultivation has declined due to change in dietary habits and unavailability of millets. As a result of this, level of nutrients like proteins, Vitamin-A, iron and iodine fell in women and children. He said this has led to a special focus on millets, which are being promoted under the National Food Security Mission (NFSM). The push will promote cultivation of jowar, bajra, ragi. Under NFSM, maize and jau are also promoted separately.

Notes:
The first-ever National Conference on Drug Law Enforcement has inaugurated by Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, the Minister of State for Home Affairs, in New Delhi on March 23, 2018. The 2-day conference is being organized by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Ministry of Home Affairs. The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh will be the Chief Guest at the closing session. More than 50 State and Central law enforcement agencies involved in combating drug trafficking have confirmed their participation in this Conference. The conference working sessions are focused on various topics such as ‘Wider context of drug trafficking in India’, ‘Financial Investigations’ and ‘Foreign & Cyber Investigations’. During these sessions various agencies would give presentations while UN and other foreign law enforcement agencies would share their experiences.

Notes:
Les Payne (76), a fervid and fearless Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, has passed away in Manhattan, United States on March 18, 2018. He served as an editor and columnist at Newsday and is a founder of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). Payne received a Pulitzer Prize for his investigative research ‘Heroin Trail’ in 1974.

Notes:
Karan Thapar, the veteran journalist and television presenter, has been honoured with the 2017 G.K. Reddy Memorial National Award for journalism for his contribution in the field of journalism. The award was presented to Thapar by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh  at the Teen Murti Bhawan in New Delhi on March 22, 2018. The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh, a gold medal and a special trophy.