VETRII IAS STUDY CIRCLE Current Affairs (A book for TNPSC Examination)

MARCH-2021

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www.vetriias.com My Dear Aspirants, Greetings to all of you! “What we think we become” . We all have dreams. To make dreams come into reality it takes a lot of determination, dedication, self discipline and continuous effort. We at VETRII IAS Study Circle are committed to provide the right guidance, quality coaching and help every aspirants to achieve his or her life’s cherished goal of becoming a civil servant. The class room coaching at VETRII IAS Study Circle is meticulously planned to equip the aspirants with all the relevant facts and fundamentals of the subjects. M. SHUNMUGAM Further the VETRII IAS Study Circle Study materials Director aim to support the candidate by providing the Vetrii IAS Study Circle. most relevant study material in a comprehensive manner. We also thank other family members of Vetrii for making this effort a reality. We wish the aspirants ALL THE VERY BEST for their journey in Civil Services !

Pages : 128 Size : (240 × 180) mm Price : 50 © All rights reserved with Published by: the publisher. No part of this VETRII IAS STUDY CIRCLE publication may be reproduced, th stored in a retrieval system, or F Block New No. 1, 9 Street, transmitted in any form or by any 1st Avenue Main Road, Chinthamani, means, electronic, mechanical, Anna Nagar (E), Chennai – 102. photocopying, recording or otherwise without the written Phone : 044-2626 5326 permission of the publisher, will be 98844 72636 | 98844 21666 | 98844 32666 responsible for the loss and may E-mail : [email protected] be punished for compensation under copyright act. Web : www.vetriias.com CONTENTS

HISTORY 01

28 POLITICAL SCIENCE

GEOGRAPHY 33

34 ECONOMICS

SCIENCE 38 NATIONAL–DIARY OF EVENT 45

INTERNATIONAL 60 AFFAIRS

TAMILNADU AFFAIRS 66

109 PRACTICE QUESTIONS 1. HISTORY 11-03-2021 08-03-2021 04-03-2021 03-03-2021 03-03-2021 Date World KidneyDay world March aroundthe celebrated on8 Day (IWD)is Women's International ‘Chabahar day’ commemorates Day World Hearing Day World Wildlife Day 1.1 IMPORTANTDAYS

Theme 2021– 'Living WellwithKidney Disease'. VetriiInternational WomensYear –1978. IASWomen's Year,1975. International Women's Dayinthe International StudyThe UnitedNationsbegancelebrating Pakistan whichhasbeendevelopedbyChina. CircleIt isonly72kmawayfrom the Gwadar portof It islocatedontheGulfofOman,Iran Chabahar Port development. signed between India and Iran in 2018 for its to theIndianOceanandagreementwas It istheonlyIranianportwithdirectaccess Russia willparticipateintheevent. Afghanistan, Kazakhstan,Iran,Uzbekistan,and As pertheMEA,ministersofArmenia, The summitisbeingheldfromMarch2to4. Summit-2021. 4, 2021,onthesidelinesofMarineIndia India commemorated ‘Chabahar day’onMarch -March 3was“HearingCareforAll”. day This year,thethemeofWorldHearing People andPlanet”. Theme 2021: “Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining Theme /Remark 2 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

Date Day Theme / Remark

International Day The theme for 2021 IDM is “Mathematics for a 14-03-2021 of Mathematics Better World“.

World Consumer The theme for World Consumer Rights Day 2021 15-03-2021 Rights Day is “Tackling Plastic Pollution.”

Global Recycling 18-03-2021 ▪ The theme for 2021 is “Recycling Heroes”. Day

▪ The day commemorates the foundation of the first Ordnance Factory in colonial India at Cossipore near Kolkata where production started on March Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

18, 1802. ▪ The Indian Ordnance Factories operate under the Ministry of Defence (MoD). ▪ The day is celebrated by displaying the rifles, Ordnance guns, artillery, ammunition etc in exhibitions all 18-03-2021 Factories' Day over India. ▪ Currently, the Ordnance Factories organisation comprises 41 factories grouped into five operational divisions of the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB). Arms Logistics Board of India ▪ Formed on: 1712 ▪ Head Quarters: Kolkata

International Day ▪ The 2021 International Day of Happiness 20-03-2021 campaign theme is ‘Keep Calm. Stay Wise. Be of Happiness Kind’.

▪ World Water Day is observed annually across the globe on March 22 with the purpose of highlighting the importance of water and raising awareness about the water crisis that the world faces. World Water Day ▪ According to the United Nations (UN) website, 22-03-2021 the main focus of the day is to “support the 2021 achievement of sustainable development goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain’ 2030. ▪ On the occasion of World Water Day, Prime Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

Minister will launch the ‘campaign in a video conference event.

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Date Day Theme / Remark

▪ March 23 is observed as Martyrs Day (Shaheed Diwas or Sarvodaya Day) to pay tribute on death anniversary of the freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar, and Shivaram Rajguru, Martyrs Day who laid their lives for the freedom of India. (Bhagat Singh, ▪ It was on March 23 in 1931, in Lahore (Pakistan), 23-03-2021 Sukhdev Thapar, that these three were hanged to death for and Shivaram assassinating John Saunders, a British police Rajguru) officer in 1928. ▪ They had mistook him for British police superintendent James Scott, who had ordered lathi charge, which eventually led to the death of Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

Lala Lajpat Rai.

▪ The theme of World Tuberculosis Day 2021 is ‘The Clock is Ticking’. World ▪ On World Tuberculosis Day, ‘Mask for 24-03-2021 Tuberculosis Day the Masses’ campaign was launched at the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital to promote the use of masks and prevent the spread of tuberculosis and COVID-19.

▪ Every year, the Earth Hour is celebrated worldwide on the last Saturday of the March month to show support for fight against climate change and commitment towards better planet. ▪ Earth Hour 2021 is being marked on March 27, 2021. 27-03-2021 Earth Hour 2021 ▪ The Earth Hour 2021 theme will focus on “Climate Change to Save Earth”. ▪ The Day is a worldwide movement organized by the WorldWide Fund for Nature (WWF), encouraging individuals, communities, corporates, and households to turn off their lights for one hour, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

www.vetriias.com 3 4 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle 1.2 DEFENCE, NATIONAL SECURITY AND TERRORISM Indian Air Force to Participate in EX Combined Commanders Conference Desert FLAG VI ▪ It is the annual meeting of three-armed force ▪ For the first time ever, the Indian Air Force services (Army, Navy and Air Force) and the (IAF) is participating in Exercise Desert Flag- Ministry of Defence to plan India’s long-term VI, which has been organised from March 03 security. to 27, 2021 at Al-Dhafra airbase, UAE. ▪ It provides a platform for discussions at the ▪ Ex Desert Flag is an annual multi-national apex Level on all the Joint Issues and enables large force employment warfare exercise stock taking of the previous year and planning hosted by the United Arab Emirates Air Force. the way ahead for the next year. ▪ The exercise will also see the air forces of ▪ It is chaired by the Defence Minister, Minister United Arab Emirates, United States of of State (Defence) and also attended by the America, France, Saudi Arabia, South Korea ministry top officials, National Security Advisor (NSA), Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), and Bahrain. IAS Study Circle Vetrii

▪ The IAF is participating with six Su-30 MKI, service chiefs and senior officers of the three two C-17 and one IL-78 tanker aircraft. services. Desert Flag VI Scorpene-class submarine INS Karanj commissioned into the Indian Navy in ▪ The Indian Air Force is for the first time participating in the annual multinational large ▪ The third Scorpene-class submarine “INS force employment warfare exercise, Desert Karanj” was commissioned into the Indian Flag VI, hosted by the United Arab Emirates Navy in Mumbai on March 10, 2021, in Air Force. presence of Chief of Naval Staff Admiral India inks pact with Philippines for Karambir Singh and Admiral (Retired) VS sale of ‘defence equipment’ including Shekhawat. BrahMos ▪ INS Karanj is third in the series of six Scorpene- ▪ India has signed a key pact with the Philippines class diesel-electric submarine, being built for called “implementing arrangement” for Indian Navy. “procurement of defence material and ▪ The technology have been designed by equipment”, on March 02, 2021, as per which France’s Naval Group and is being built in the country will buy the BrahMos cruise India by Mazagon Dock Limited under Project missiles from India. 75. ▪ The BrahMos missile is produced by an India- Other submarines of this class ▪ First two submarines, INS Kalvari and INS Russian joint venture “BrahMos ” Khanderi, have already been commissioned and it can be launched from submarines, ships, into the Navy. aircraft or from land platforms. ▪ 4th- INS Vela –undergoing trials at sea. ▪ It is the fastest supersonic cruise missile in the ▪ 5th- INS Vagir – launched in November 2020 world. and is expected to be commissioned in 2022 India's resolute response on borders ▪ 6th – ‘Vagsheer’ – currently under construction ▪ has been participated at the Project-75

Combined Commanders Conference (CCC) of IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ It is a programme by the Indian Navy that the three Services at Kevadia in . entails building six Scorpene-Class attack ▪ It is being held from March 4 to 6 submarines.

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▪ The programme has been undertaken with ▪ INS Jalashwa is the largest amphibious ship of transfer of technology from French company Indian Navy. Naval Group (formerly known as DCNS) at SAGAR the Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL). ▪ Security and Growth for All in the Region U.S. Defense Secretary (SAGAR) was launched in 2015. It is India’s ▪ American Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin strategic vision for the Indian Ocean Region will visit India from March 19 to 21 and to (IOR). meet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. ▪ Through SAGAR, India seeks to deepen Discussion economic and security cooperation with its maritime neighbours and assist in building ▪ To strengthen bilateral defence cooperation their maritime security capabilities. and exchange views on regional security challenges and common interests in Indian Army Decommissions two of maintaining a free, open and inclusive Indo longest serving artillery systems Pacific region. ▪ The Indian Army decommissioned two of the Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

▪ Discussions regarding defence cooperation longest serving artillery systems from service would also focus on how both countries could on March 16, 2021 at Mahajan Field Firing consolidate military to military cooperation Ranges in Rajasthan. and defence trade and industry cooperation. ▪ These include: 130mm Self Propelled M-46 India to buy 30 armed drones from US Catapult Guns and the 160mm Tampella to counter China, Pakistan Mortars. ▪ India plans to buy 30 armed drones from ▪ The two weapon systems, have been in the the U.S. to boost its sea and land defenses as inventory of the Indian Army for around 60 tensions persist with neighbours China and years. Pakistan. ▪ They have been decommissioned to make ▪ The South Asian nation will approve next way for newer equipment with the latest month the $3 billion purchase of 30 MQ-9B technologies. Predator drones manufactured by San Diego- 130mm Catapult based General Atomics. ▪ It had a range of more than 27 km. ▪ The MQ-9B drone can fly for about 48 hours ▪ The system was developed by merging two and carry a payload of about 1,700 kilograms existing weapon systems: Vijayanta tanks and (3,700 pounds). It will give the Indian Navy 130mm M-46 guns. the ability to better monitor Chinese warships 160mm Tampella mortars in the southern Indian Ocean, and equip the ▪ It had a range of 9.6km. army to engage targets along the disputed ▪ This mortar was successfully deployed on the India-Pakistan border in the Himalayas. Line of Control in the Leepa valley ( Hazad INS Jalashwa reaches Port Anjouan in Kashmir, Pakistan) and the Hajipir Bowl Comoros to deliver 1,000 tonnes of rice and played a crucial part in maintaining the ▪ The Indian Naval Ship INS Jalashwa arrived sanctity of the Line of Control. at Port Anjouan, Comoros on 14 March 2021 Indian naval Landing Craft Utility L58 to deliver 1,000 Metric Tonnes of rice, under commissioned at Port Blair Mission Sagar-IV. ▪ Indian Naval Landing Craft Utility (LCU) ▪ SAGAR, which stands for “Security and L58, the eighth and last ship of the Landing

Growth for all in the Indian Ocean Region”, IAS Study Circle Vetrii Craft Utility (LCU) Mark IV Class, was was started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi commissioned into the Indian Navy at Port in May 2020 to assist maritime neighbours such Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islandss. as Comoros amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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▪ The LCU 58 is an amphibious ship that can ▪ The UK just about makes the Top 10, coming carry 160 troops, in addition to its crew. With in 9th place with a score of 43 a displacement of 900 tons, the ship is capable ▪ The world's biggest military spender with a of carrying various types of combat vehicles budget of USD 732 billion per year is the USA, such as Main Battle Tanks (MBTs), BMPs, it noted, adding that China comes second with Armoured Vehicles, trucks, etc. USD 261 billion, followed by India at USD 71 ▪ The ship measures 63 meters in length and billion. is fitted with two MTA 4,000 series engines, ICG Ship Vajra Commissioned which are capable of propelling the ship at speeds of up to 15 knots (28 kmph). ▪ Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Ship 'Vajra' was commissioned on March 24, 2021 at Chennai Samudri Virasat Pradarshan by Indian by General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Navy Staff. ▪ INS Netaji Subhas, as part of the Swarnim ▪ The vessel was indigenously designed and Vijay Varsh 2021 Celebrations at Kolkata, built by Larsen and Toubro Shipbuilding Ltd conducted an Operational Demonstration on IAS Study Circle Vetrii in Chennai.

the Hooghly on 20th March 2021. ▪ It is the sixth in series of seven Offshore Patrol ▪ This unique event displayed the maritime Vessels and will enhance coastal security. prowess of assets and personnel who sail the high seas as well as operate along the coast. India, U.S. begin two-day naval exercise in eastern Indian Ocean region Ahom warrior a symbol of Atmanirbhar ▪ India and the US kicked off a two-day naval military exercise in the eastern Indian Ocean Region, ▪ Prime Minister Narendra Modi called 17th reflecting the growing congruence in their century Ahom General Lachit Borphukan defence and military . a symbol of India’s “atmanirbhar” military ▪ The Indian Navy deployed its warship Shivalik might and long-range maritime patrol aircraft P8I in ▪ PM Modi referring Ahom as a freedom fighter the 'PASSEX' exercise while the US Navy was who “contributed to the independence of the represented by the USS Theodore Rosevelt country” at a programme to launch the ‘Azadi carrier strike group. ka Amrit Mahotsav’ on March 12. ▪ The Malabar naval exercise was participated ▪ In 1671, Borphukan led the Ahoms in the Battle by the navies of the US, Australia and Japan. of Saraighat, considered the greatest naval ▪ The four countries are part of the Quad or battle on a river, to victory over the Mughals. Quadrilateral coalition. ▪ The Prime Minister announced Borphukan was the inspiration behind strengthening India’s naval force and revitalising inland water transport and creating infrastructure. India ranked fourth most powerful military in world ▪ China has the strongest military force in the world while India stands at number four, according to a study released by defence website Military Direct.

▪ The USA, despite their enormous military IAS Study Circle Vetrii

budgets, comes in 2nd place with 74 points, followed by Russia with 69, India at 61 and then France with 58.

6 www.vetriias.com HISTORY | 7 1.3 WORLD ORGANISATIONS – PACTS AND SUMMITS Narendra Modi receives India’s ▪ It is seen as a strategic grouping to preempt homegrown and reduce Chinese influences. ▪ Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ▪ The core objectives of the QUAD is to secure received his first dose of Covaxin, a COVID-19 a rules-based global order, liberal trading jab developed by Indian vaccine maker Bharat system and freedom of navigation. Biotech. ▪ It seeks to contain a ‘rising China’ and work WHO against its predatory trade and economic ▪ President : Tedros Adhanom policies. ▪ Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland ▪ Another purpose of the QUAD is to offer ▪ Founded: 7 April 1948 alternative debt financing for nations in the Indo-Pacific region. UN declares 2023 as International Year Quad leaders for ‘open, free’ Indo- of Millets IAS Study Circle Vetrii

▪ The United Nations General Assembly has Pacific adopted the India-sponsored resolution and ▪ The meeting focused on vaccines, climate has declared the year 2023 as the International change, emerging technologies makes group a Year of Millets. force for global good. ▪ The resolution invites all member states and ▪ US President- Joe Biden organisations to raise awareness regarding the ▪ Japanese Prime Minister - Yoshihide Suga benefits of millets. ▪ Australian Prime Minister - Scott Morrison United Nations UNDP launches Sahi Disha campaign ▪ Head Quarters: New York ▪ The United Nations Development Program ▪ President: Volkan Bozkır has launched the ‘Sahi Disha’ Campaign ▪ Founded on – 24th Oct, 1945. for celebrating the livelihoods and entrepreneurship of women living in rural Quad to hold leadership summit parts of India. ▪ Leaders of Australia, India, Japan and the United States will soon meet virtually for ▪ The campaign highlights the problems the first ever summit under the quadrilateral impacting the opportunities for women to security arrangement. access jobs and livelihoods. About Disha Initiative: Quad ▪ Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is the ▪ The Disha initiative is a five years collaboration informal strategic dialogue between India, between the IKEA Foundation and the United USA, Japan and Australia with a shared Nations Development Program. objective to ensure and support a “free, open ▪ It enabled around 1 million women through and prosperous” Indo-Pacific region. counselling and skilling services for accessing ▪ The idea of Quad was first mooted by Japanese livelihood and job opportunities in rural India. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007. However, About United Nations Development the idea couldn’t move ahead with Australia Program: pulling out of it, apparently due to Chinese ▪ United Nations Development Programme pressure. (UNDP) is a specialised agency of United Purposes of QUAD Nation formed in 1965 ▪ The idea behind the QUAD Group is to keep IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ The United Nations Development Programme

the strategic and significant sea routes in the (UNDP) is the UN's global development Indo-Pacific free of any influence. network. It provides expert advice, training and grants support to developing countries,

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with increasing emphasis on assistance to the ▪ The decision to hold the joint exercise "Pabbi- least developed. Antiterror-2021" was announced during the ▪ UNDP India's country programme for 2018- 36th meeting of the Council of the Regional 2022 has three major focus areas: Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) held in ▪ Inclusive growth Tashkent, Uzbekistan on March 18. ▪ Environment and energy ▪ The SCO is an economic and security bloc in which India and Pakistan were admitted as ▪ Strengthening systems and institutions. full members in 2017. Its founding members India ranks 139 in World Happiness included China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Report, Finland tops Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. ▪ India has been placed at 139th position out ▪ The next meeting of the Council of the RATS of 149 countries in the UN World Happiness SCO is scheduled to be held in September in Report 2021 released on March 19, 2021. In Uzbekistan. 2019, India was ranked 140th. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

▪ The World Happiness Report 2021 has been IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ SCO is a permanent intergovernmental topped by Finland, for the fourth consecutive international organisation. year. ▪ It’s a Eurasian political, economic and military ▪ The 2021 report is the ninth World Happiness organisation aiming to maintain peace, Report and focuses on the effects of COVID-19 security and stability in the region. and how people all over the world have fared. ▪ It was created in 2001. Top 10 Countries ▪ The SCO's official languages are Russian and ▪ Finland is followed by Iceland, Denmark, Chinese. Switzerland, The Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Norway, New Zealand and Austria. World Bank Releases “World Development Report 2021: Data for Bottom 5 Countries Better Lives” ▪ People in Afghanistan (149) are the most ▪ The “World Development Report 2021: Data unhappy with their lives, followed by for Better Lives” was released by the World Zimbabwe (148), Rwanda (147), Botswana Bank on March 24, 2021. (146) and Lesotho (145). ▪ The World Development Report focuses on World Happiness Report how data can improve the lives of poor people ▪ The World Happiness Report is issued by and advance development objectives, to the UN Sustainable Development Solutions ensure no one is left behind. Network, to rank countries by how happy their citizens perceive themselves to be. World Bank ▪ President : David Malpass ▪ The countries of the world are ranked on the basis of questions from the Gallup World ▪ Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United Poll. The results are then correlated with States other factors, like gross domestic product ▪ Founded: July 1944, Bretton Wood per person, healthy life expectancy and the opinions of residents. 2020 was Best Year for Wind Industry: Global Wind Report 2021 India, Pakistan, China to participate in ▪ Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the year 2020 SCO joint anti-terrorism exercise was the best year in history for the global wind ▪ India, Pakistan, China and other members of industry as this sector installed 93GW of new

the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) IAS Study Circle Vetrii capacity in 2020, according to a new report will hold a joint anti-terrorism exercise this titled ‘Global Wind Report 2021, released by year. the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC- Headquarters location: Brussels, Belgium).

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▪ This is the 16th annual flagship report, released ▪ According to UN Charter every Member State by GWEC on March 25, 2021. is legally obligated to pay their respective ▪ The 93GW represents a 53% year-on-year share for peacekeeping. increase. Internationally United Nations Peace-Keeping Force ▪ As of 2020, there are currently 13 active UN Peacekeeping Missions ▪ United Nations Peacekeeping is a joint effort between the Department of Peace Operations ▪ These missions are spread across 3 continents; and the Department of Operational Support. Asia, Africa and Europe. The highest number of peacekeeping missions are in Africa. ▪ Every peacekeeping mission is authorized by the Security Council. ▪ Troops, police and civilian personnel for UN peacekeeping missions are contributed by ▪ The financial resources of UN Peacekeeping more than 120 countries. operations are the collective responsibility of UN Member States. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

1.4 EMINENT PERSONS Jeeva, the leader of the the Tamil month of Masi, the date on which Green Movement, has passed away the Ayyavazhi followers believe that Lord ▪ Jeeva, the leader of the Tamil Nadu Green Narayana himself incarnated as Vaikundar Movement and a doctor. during an encounter with a deity Goddess Lakshmi, he was beget inside the sea and ▪ He started 7 hospitals in Erode, Tanjore and arose from the sea of Thiruchendur on Kollam pondicherry for service purposes. Year 1008 at 20th day of Tamil Month Masi ▪ Jeeva, who had a great devotion to Bharati, (1st March 1833 CE, Friday). has been conducting Bharati festivals in Erode for many years. He set up a center in Erode to Vaikunda Swamigal (1809-1851) rehabilitate alchoholics. ▪ Born: 1809 at Sastankoil Vilai, a village in then south Travancore (Present day Kanyakumari ▪ His book on Tipu Sultan changed the image of district). Tipu Sultan. Has translated more than 15 texts from English to Tamil. ▪ He was one of the earliest crusaders of social justice Tamil Nadu Green movement ▪ Original Name: Mudichudum Perumal was ▪ Conservation warrior and leader from the changed to Muthukutty by his parents due to Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Jayachandran S, objection raised by the upper caste Hindus has won this year’s prestigious Sanctuary Wildlife Award for his pioneering work in key ▪ His followers called him Aiya (father) and his protected areas of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and cult came to be known as Aiya Vazhi (path of Karnataka. the father) ▪ He started the Tamil Nadu Green Movement ▪ He attacked the traditional caste-ridden in 1990 which has been actively assisting the Travancore society and its ruler for collecting forest departments in law enforcement and excessive taxes from the lower caste people advocacy. ▪ He was arrested and jailed by the Raja of

Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii Travancore for his “seditious speeches” Ayya Vaikunda Avataram Teachings ▪ Ayya Vaikunda Avataram Day celebrated by ▪ He exhorted them not to offer animal sacrifices the followers of Ayyavazhi on the 20th day of to their deities

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▪ Akila Thirattu: The compiled text of his University and president of the All India teachings which is recited religiously to this Institute of Science Tamil. day ▪ Born on April 1, 1938 in Alawakottai, ▪ He urged his followers to wear a turban, a Ramanathapuram District, he worked as an right which was permitted only to upper Adjunct Professor at Chidambaram Annamalai castes in those days University. He then served as the Director ▪ He requested the people to give up all the of the Department of Tamil Development at irrelevant rites and rituals in their worship. the Thanjavur Tamil University from 1981, as the Professor of Science Tamil and Tamil Former Dinamalar editor R Development from 1987, and as the Senior Krishnamurthy Professor from 1997. ▪ R Krishnamurthy, a former editor of Tamil ▪ He has authored more than 10 books in daily Dinamalar and a renowned epigraphist, publications including the National Book died in Chennai due to age-related ailments. Trust, Sahitya Akademi, Tamil University and ▪ Krishnamurthy was born at Vadiveeswaram

Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii other universities. He has also published more

near Nagercoil on January 13, 1933. than 35 books as an editor. He has translated ▪ He joined Dinamalar in 1956 and became its various scientific texts into Tamil. editor in 1977. takes oath as Chief ▪ He was also behind simplifying the Tamil Minister of Uttarakhand script. He introduced the Periyar script with ▪ Tirath Singh Rawat, the BJP Lok Sabha fewer alphabets. The government introduced MP from Pauri Garhwal constituency, has the script in textbooks in 1979. been sworn in as the new Chief Minister of ▪ His interests in Tamil script reform led him Uttarakhand. to trace its origin which in turn kindled an ▪ He replaces Trivendra Singh Rawat who had interest in numismatics making him travel stepped down from the post on March 09, across the world scouring museums and 2021. private collections for coins relating to ancient rulers of . ▪ Tirath Singh Rawat was administered the oath of office by Uttarakhand Baby Rani Kannada poet Lakshminarayana Maurya on March 10, 2021. Bhatta passes away ▪ Uttarakhand ▪ Born in 1936 in Shivamogga district, he was a ▪ Capital – Dehradun (winter capital), Gairsain prolific writer, publishing several collections of (summer capital) poems besides critical works and translations. ▪ Governor – Baby Rani Maurya ▪ The poet, many of whose bhavageetes (lyrical poems) were set to tune and popularised ▪ National Park (NP) – Jim Corbett NP, Nanda through cassettes. Devi NP, Valley of Flowers NP, Rajaji NP, Gangotri NP, Govind NP. ▪ Dr. Bhatta translated 50 sonnets of William Shakespeare, poetry and works of T.S. Elliot Kathakali exponent Chemancheri and Yeats into Kannada. Kunhiraman Nair dies in Kerala ▪ He won several awards including Karnataka ▪ Veteran Kathakali exponent Guru Sahitya Akademi award, Masti Prashasti and Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair died at his Kannada Rajyotsava Award. residence at nearby Cheliya in Koyilandi. Scientific Tamil scholar Rama Sundaram ▪ He had been honoured with the Padma

Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii Shree in 2017 in recognition of his glorious has passed away contribution to the art form. ▪ Rama Sundaram passed away. He is a retired head of the Department of Science Tamil ▪ His portrayal of Lord and Kuchela on and Tamil Development at Thanjavur Tamil stage always left the audience spellbound and

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his last notable public performance was at the into a legally empowered markets regulator age of 100. following the enactment of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992. Renowned Padma Bhushan winning ▪ Ramakrishna was the minister of economic painter Laxman Pai passes away in Goa affairs at the Embassy in Washington in 1972 ▪ Renowned Indian artist and painter Laxman and India’s Ambassador to the European Pai has passed away. He was 95. Economic Community (European Union) in ▪ The Goa-based painter was a recipient of the 1989 Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian ▪ Ramakrishna he worked at the Finance honour. Ministry and Ministries of Industry, Steel, ▪ Apart from this, Pai was honoured with Coal and Petroleum. He was adviser in the several other prestigious awards, including Planning Commission in 1981 and Member in Padma Shri, Nehru Award and Lalit Kala 1994. Akademi Award among others. 1971 Battle of Basantar hero, Lt Gen P.S.Kumaraswamy Raja IAS Study Circle Vetrii Pinto (retd) dies at 97

▪ Poosapati Sanjeevi Kumarswamy Raja Indian ▪ Lieutenant General WAG Pinto (Retd), a politician and chief Minister of Madras military hero who led an infantry division to presidency from 6 April 1949 to 10 April a legendary victory in the 1971 India-Pakistan 1952 and former Governor of Orissa in the War has passed away in Pune at the age of 97. period from 1954 until 1956. He was born in ▪ He led the 54 Infantry Division in the Battle Rajapalayam in Tamil Nadu. of Basantar in the war that gave birth to Tanzania’s First women president Bangladesh, leading his troops from the front ▪ Samia Suluhu Hassan, 61 sworn in as with the motto he coined “bash on regardless”. Tanzania's first female president. Former RBI Deputy Governor KC ▪ Hassan, vice president since 2015, gave a brief Chakrabarty passes away at 68 and sombre address after she was sworn in as ▪ Veteran banker and former Deputy Governor president, becoming the first female head of at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), K.C. state in the east African country of 58 million. Chakrabarty has passed away. He was 68 ▪ Note – Zanzibar is an autonomous region of years old. Tanzania. ▪ Mr Chakrabarty served as the RBI DG from About Tanzania: June 2009 to April 2014 and resigned three ▪ Capital – Dodoma months before his term concluded. ▪ President – Samia Suluhu Hassan ▪ He started his career teaching at the Banaras ▪ Prime Minister – Kassim Majaliwa Hindu University (BHU). ▪ Currency – Tanzanian Shilling Former SEBI Chairman Ramakrishna no more ▪ G.V. Ramakrishna, 91, who was the first chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of India. ▪ An administrator, renowned for his integrity and no-nonsense approach to addressing

issues, Ramakrishna was appointed in 1990 IAS Study Circle Vetrii as the second chairman of the then two-year- old Securities and Exchange Board. During his tenure, he oversaw the transition of the Board

www.vetriias.com 11 12 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle 1.5 PLACES IN NEWS Similipal biosphere reserve ▪ It is also an important source for commercial ▪ A massive fire is threatening the Similipal operations in fishing and water plant Biosphere-one of the largest biospheres of harvesting. India-prompting the Odisha government to ▪ It covers an area of 18 square kilometres and is deploy a big contingent of field-level staff to part of a natural wetland including its floating douse it. gardens. ▪ Similipal National Park is a national park and ▪ The floating gardens, known as “Raad” in a tiger reserve in the Mayurbhanj district in Kashmiri, blossom with lotus flowers during the Indian state of Odisha. July and August. ▪ This protected area is part of the UNESCO World Suez canal Network of Biosphere Reserves since 2009. ▪ The Suez Canal is an artificial sea level Gregarious bamboo flowering in waterway running north to south across

Wayanad poses thereat The phenomenon IAS Study Circle Vetrii the Isthmus of Suez in Egypt, to connect the may cause mass destruction of bamboo Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. groves, the mainstay of herbivores ▪ It was opened for navigation in November ▪ “Gregarious flowering of bamboo” inside 1869. the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS) and ▪ The 150-year-old canal was controlled by the nearby Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and British and French interests in its initial years, Gudalur forest division in Tamil Nadu this but was nationalized in 1956 by Egypt. year may pose a threat to wildlife in the Nilgiri biosphere, a major tiger and elephant habitat. ▪ The canal separates the African continent from Asia. ▪ The bamboo groves in the Wayanad forest are the main stay of herbivores in the Nilgiri ▪ It provides the shortest maritime route biosphere during summer. With the advent of between Europe and the lands lying around the season, migration of wild animals starts the Indian and western Pacific oceans. from the adjacent sanctuaries in Karnataka ▪ It is one of the world’s most heavily used and Tamil Nadu to Wayanad due to shortage shipping lanes, carrying over 12% of world of fodder and water. trade by volume. ▪ Which grow in more than 500 hectares of ▪ It provides a crucial link for oil, natural gas the 344.44 sq km of the sanctuary, have fully and cargo being shipped from East to West. bloomed, a phenomenon said to occur once in Kaziranga National Park the life cycle of bamboo plants,” he added. ▪ It is located in the State of Assam and covers ▪ Thorny bamboo (Bamboosa bambos) is a 42,996 Hectare (ha). It is the single largest monocarpic (flowering only once) plant undisturbed and representative area in the belonging to the Poaceae family (grass family), Brahmaputra Valley floodplain. and its flowering cycle varies from 40 to 60 Legal Status: years. ▪ It was declared as a National Park in 1974. Dal Lake ▪ It has been declared a tiger reserve since 2007. ▪ Dal is a lake in Srinagar, the capital of the It has a total tiger reserve area of 1,030 sq km Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Dal with a core area of 430 sq. km. Lake is a misnomer as Dal in Kashmiri means International Status: lake. ▪ It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage ▪ It is integral to tourism and recreation in IAS Study Circle Vetrii Site in 1985.

Kashmir and is named the “Jewel in the crown ▪ It is recognized as an Important Bird Area by of Kashmir” or “Srinagar’s Jewel”. BirdLife International.

12 www.vetriias.com HISTORY | 13 1.6 SPORTS AND GAMES Indian shuttlers Varun, Malvika clinch ▪ Sarita Mor has brought laurels to the state by gold medals bagging a silver medal in the 57 kg category ▪ Indian shuttlers Varun Kapur and Malvika of the Mateo Pelicone ranking wrestling series Bansod produced thrilling performances held in Rome. Sarita defeated Kazakhstan’s to emerge champions at the 2021 Uganada Altin S 4–1 in the quarter-finals to enter the International in Kampala. semi-finals. Neeraj Chopra betters national record Vinesh wins gold ▪ Neeraj Chopra has already qualified for the ▪ Star Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat claimed Tokyo Olympics, bettered his own national her second gold medal with a dominant win in mark of 88.06, achieved at the 2018 Asian the Matteo Pellicone ranking series event and Games in Jakarta. reclaimed the top rank in her category. ▪ The 26 year old World bronze medallist and History IAS Study Circle Vetrii

▪ Born in the village of Khandra in Haryana's only Indian woman wrestler to qualifiy for Panipat district, Chopra. Tokyo Games. Achievements Swiss Open 2021 final ▪ In 2015, he set a junior national record with ▪ Swiss Open 2021 Top seed Carolina Marin a throw of 68.4m. In the World Under-20 steam rolled PV Sindhu in just 35 minutes to Championships in Bydgosczsz, Poland, win the women's singles title, her third crown Chopra claimed gold and set a world junior of 2021. record in javelin (800g) with a throw of 86.48m. ▪ The gulf in class was evident as Marin got the ▪ He also claimed gold in the 2016 South job done in straight games 21-12, 21-5 against Asian Games with a throw that measured the Indian shuttler, who ran out of ideas in 82.23m. In the 2017 Asian Championships in Basel. Bhubaneshwar, Chopra added another gold, ▪ Sindhu, who came into the final without with a mark of 85.23 m. dropping a game, could only match the appointed chairperson Spaniard in the opening exchanges of the first of AIBA’s champions and veterans game after which the latter took the game committee away from the Indian world no. 7. ▪ Six-time world champion boxer Mary Kom Awards received by P V Sindhu: has been appointed as the Chairperson of the ▪ P.V.Sindhu honoured with Rajiv Gandhi Khel International Boxing Association’s (AIBA) Ratna Award, the highest sporting honour of Champions and Veterans Committee. India, on 29 August 2016. ▪ The Committee was formed in December ▪ She received Award for badminton on 2020. It consists of most respected worldwide 24 September 2013. boxing veterans and champions who have ▪ She was awarded with India's fourth highest achieved significant results and who are ready civilians award Padma Shri Award in 2015. to share their experience. ▪ Earnings: $8.5 million, Sindhu was ranked Sarita Mor wins silver at Matteo seventh in Forbes' list of "Highest-Paid Female Pellicone Athletes 2018. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii List of medals won by P.V. Sindhu

▪ Wrestler Sarita More, brand ambassador of Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign, Sonepat, Olympic Games has won a silver medal in the ranking wrestling ▪ Silver medal at 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic competition. Games. www.vetriias.com 13 14 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

World Championships ▪ The Lifetime Achievement award went to ▪ Gold medal in 2019 (Women's singles) veteran athlete . ▪ Silver medal in 2018 (Women's singles) ▪ English star Ben Stokes announced the ▪ Silver medal in 2017 (Women's singles) 19 year old Indian Shooter, Manu Bhaker as ▪ Bronze medal in 2014 (Women's singles) the winner of the Emerging Player of the Year award category. ▪ Bronze medal in 2013 (Women's singles) ▪ Bhaker, won two golds at the ISSF World Wrestler Cup in 2018, followed by gold at the Youth ▪ In wrestling, World Championship bronze Olympics and a Commonwealth Games gold medallist Bajrang Punia has clinched a gold with a record to boot. medal by defeating his familiar rival Tulga Tumur Ochir of Mongolia in the Matteo achieves milestone by score Pallicone World Ranking Series event in Rome. 10,000 international runs ▪ Bajrang defeated Ochir 2-2 by criteria in the ▪ Mithali raj has become the first Indian Woman cricketer as well as the second international final of the 65kg freestyleat amd he ranked IAS Study Circle Vetrii

World No 1 . woman cricketer to score 10,000 international runs across all the formats. ▪ This is Bajrang’s second consecutive gold medal at the Matteo Pellicone event as he had ▪ She is the second woman cricketer to achieve finished on the top of the series in January this milestone after England’s Charlotte 2020 as well. Edwards. Background ▪ Mithali Raj achieved the milestone during the ▪ In 2020, the Indian wrestler had defeated ongoing 3rd ODI with South Africa. USA's Jordan Oliver in the final to clinch the 2020-21 Final gold medal at the tournament. ▪ Mumbai begins as an overwhelming favourite ▪ Punia had reserved his place in the Tokyo to beat Uttar Pradesh and claim its fourth Olympic Games in September 2019 after Vijay Hazare (50-over) title. clinching bronze at the World Championships. Vijay Hazare Tiruvallur students won the National ▪ The Vijay Hazare Trophy, also known as the Championship 2021 Ranji One-Day Trophy, was started in 2002-03 ▪ The 17th National Level Silamba Competition as a limited-overs cricket domestic competition on behalf of the All-India Silambam involving state teams from the Championship was held at Kanyakumari. plates. It is named after the legendary Indian ▪ More than 600 children from Tamil Nadu, cricketer Vijay Hazare. Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar ▪ Tamil Nadu is the most successful team Pradesh and West Bengal participated. The having won the trophy 5 times. Mumbai are event were held for boys and girls between the the current champions (2020-2021) who won ages of 5 and 10 years. their 4th title beating Uttar Pradesh in the ▪ Raveen Chakraborty, a 5-year-old boy from finals. Palani, won a gold medal in the Silambam Dubai Open: Muguruza Champion Championship. Nikita, a 6-year-old girl from ▪ Garbine Muguruza ended a two-year title Palani, won a bronze medal. drought by claiming a maiden Dubai crown is BBC’s Indian with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 victory over unseeded sportswoman of the year Czech Barbora Krejcikova. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

▪ World rapid chess champion Koneru Humpy ▪ Krejcikova has enjoyed great success in has won the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the doubles, reaching the number ranking and Year award. BBC director general Tim Davie, claiming two women's doubles Grand Slam hosting the virtual awards ceremony. trophies, as well as three in mixed doubles. 14 www.vetriias.com HISTORY | 15

Bhavani Devi- First Indian Fencer to ▪ In the Federation Cup, the steeplechaser set Qualify for Olympics yet another National record, his fifth in three ▪ The 27-years-old Indian Fencer, Bhavani Devi, years, while also breaching the Olympic has created a history and has become the qualification mark, also for the second time. first Indian fencer to qualify for Olympics in ▪ Neeraj Chopra, meanwhile bettered his own Women’s individual Sabre. meet record by almost two metres with a ▪ The fencer finds her place in the Tokyo best throw of 87.80m but fell short of a new Olympics by the “Adjusted Official ranking National mark. method” on March 14, 2021. ▪ The other big hope for Olympics, shot-putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor, could only manage a Annu Rani rewrites own National mark best throw of 20.58m, good enough to winbut ▪ National javelin throw champion Annu way off the qualifying mark of 21.10m. Rani moved closer to the elusive Olympic qualification with a 63.24m throw, bettering Tamil Nadu athletes dominate the her own twoyearold mark for a new National IAS Study Circle Vetrii Federation Cup

record on day one of the 24th Federation Cup. ▪ The track event dominance of Tamil Nadu ▪ The Olympic qualification mark is 64m athletes continued with a double in the 100m hurdles at the 24th Federation Cup Senior Sreeshankar qualifies for Tokyo Athletics Championships. T. Veeramani was ▪ Murali Sreeshankar has qualified for the the winner in the men's 110m hurdles with Tokyo Olympics 2021 in the long-jump event. a timing of 14.57s, while Tamil Nadu's C. Diya Chitale retains title at Junior Kanimozhi won the 100m hurdles gold medal. and Youth National Table Tennis ▪ Tamil Nadu's Dhanalakshmi created waves Championships on the athletics circuit by defeating reigning ▪ Defending champion Diya Chitale retained Indian 100m record holder Dutee Chand. the youth girls title with a hard-fought win Top Indian paddlers book their tickets while Swastika Ghosh came-from behind to for Tokyo Games claim her maiden junior girls crown at the ▪ India’s top singles table tennis players, UTT 82nd Junior and Youth National Table , G. Sathiyan, Manika Batra and Tennis Championships. Sutirtha Mukherjee, all booked their places in becomes the first player to the Tokyo Olympics. score 3000 runs in men’s T20I Kamalpreet books record for Olympics ▪ Indian captain Virat Kohli has breached the ▪ Kamalpreet Kaur qualified for the Tokyo 3000- mark in Twenty20 Internationals Olympics in women's discus throw event with his last shot in the second T20I against with a national record attempt of 65.06 metres England. Kohli’s knock of 73 runs, which came during the ongoing Athletics Federation Cup. off 49 balls, also helped India to level the five- The Olympic qualification benchmark is 63.5 match T20I series. metres. ▪ He also became the third captain in Yashaswini Wins Gold , Silver For Manu international cricket to score 12000 runs as a Bhaker captain. He joined legendary captains Ricky ▪ India's Yashaswini Singh Deswal personified

Ponting and Graeme Smith in the elite list. IAS Study Circle Vetrii

consistency and calmness on her way to National steeplechase record winning the gold medal in the women's 10m ▪ Avinash Sable has made a habit of breaking air pistol ahead of the more celebrated Manu his own records and setting new benchmarks. Bhaker in the ISSF World Cup. www.vetriias.com 15 16 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

Anjum qualifies for final India's Divyansh Singh Panwar, Elavenil ▪ Anjum Moudgil as the World Championship Valarivan Win Gold silver medallist qualified in second place in ▪ India's Divyansh Singh Panwar and Elavenil women’s air rifle with a score of 629.6 of the Valarivan won the gold medal in the 10m Air shooting World Cup at the Dr. Karni Singh Rifle Mixed Team event at the ISSF World Cup Range, Tughlakabad. being held in Delhi. Nikhat Zareen, Gaurav Solanki ▪ The India duo shot a combined total of 16 win bronze at Bosphorus Boxing in the gold medal match to finish ahead of Hungarian world number one Istvan Peni and Tournament Eszter Denes who managed 10. ▪ Indian boxers Nikhat Zareen (51kg) and Gaurav Solanki (57kg) ended up with a bronze Ganemat, Angad win gold at Shooting medal each as both lost their semifinal bouts at World Cup the Bosphorus Boxing Tournament in Turkey. ▪ Indian shooters Ganemat Sekhon and Angad

Sharath Kamal, Manika Batra seal IAS Study Circle Vetrii Vir Singh Bajwa bagged the skeet mixed team gold medal at the ISSF World Cup. Olympic mixed doubles spot ▪ Indian table tennis duo Sharath Kamal and ▪ Qatar’s Reem A Sharshani and Rashid Hamad Manika Batra qualified for the mixed doubles claimed the bronze medal. event at the Tokyo Olympics after winning Aishwary in blistering form, clinches the final at the Asian Olympic Qualification gold Tournament in Doha, Qatar. ▪ Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar won the men’s ISSF World Cup 2021 rifle 3-position gold while Chinki Yadav ▪ Indian shooter Divyansh Singh Panwar, the beat Rahi Sarnobat and Manu Bhaker for the world No. 1 in the men’s 10m Air Rifle has women’s sports pistol gold in the World Cup won bronze in men’s 10m Air Rifle event at the at the Dr. Karni Singh Range. ISSF World Cup 2021 in New Delhi. ▪ The 20-year-old Aishwary beat a strong field ▪ The Indian team bagged the air rifle men’s and pushed world No. 1 Istvan Peni to the team event with a cumulative score of 1885.9. silver by 0.9 point. The USA stood second with score of 1880.8 Tokyo Olympics 2021 followed by South Korea with 1880.3. ▪ The Grand Start of the Olympic Torch Relay ▪ The International Shooting Sport Federation in Japan's northeastern prefecture Fukushima (ISSF) World Cup 2021 is being held at Dr marked the beginning of a four month-journey Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi towards the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo from March 18, 2021. The event will end on Games on 23 July 2021. March 29, 2021. ▪ Iwashimizu Azusa, a key player of the ▪ It is the first international event of 2021 by Japanese women's football team that won the ISSF. World Cup in 2011, was the first runner with ▪ More than 300 shooters from as many as 43 the torch. countries are participating in the World Cup ▪ The events start from July 23 and end to being held in all three disciplines – shotgun, August 8. rifle, and pistol. Indian women win 25m sports pistol Aslan Karatsev ▪ Rahi Sarnobat, Chinki Yadav and Manu Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

▪ Aslan Karatsev reached milestone in the 2021 Bhaker combined strongly to win the 25 metre ATP Tour season and he beat Lloyd Harris 6-3, sports pistol team gold with a resounding 17¬7 6-2 to claim his maiden ATP Tour title at the victory over Poland in the shooting World Cup Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. at the Dr. Karni Singh Range, Tughlakabad. 16 www.vetriias.com HISTORY | 17

India adds two gold; silver for Vijayveer ▪ 18-year-old Vijayveer Sidhu and 16-year- ▪ World junior champion Vijayveer Sidhu old Tejaswini defeated Gurpreet Singh and claimed silver in the shooting World Cup at Abhudnya Patil 9-1 in a gold medal match. the Dr. Karni Singh Range. Indian teams trap gold ▪ India won two gold. In the mixed rifle ▪ Men’s and women’s teams nailed the elusive 3-position, it was through Sanjeev Rajput and trap gold in the shooting World Cup that Tejaswini who beat Serhiy Kulish and Anna concluded at the Dr. Karni Singh Range, Ilina of Ukraine 31-29. There was also the Tughlakabad. men’s 50-metre rifle team gold. ▪ Shotgun shooters Prithviraj Tondaiman, Vijayveer Sidhu, Tejaswini win gold Lakshay Sheoran and Kynan Chenai ended ▪ India’s 25m rapid fire pistol mixed team won India's campaign at the ISSF World Cup with a gold and silver medal in the ongoing ISSF a gold medal in the men's trap team event . Shooting World Cup in New Delhi. ▪ With this India has 15 Gold, 9 Silver, 6 Bronze, totally 30 medals have won by India. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

1.7 BOOKS & AUTHORS My life in full: work, family and our Autobiography of ‘Frontier Gandhi’ Future released in English ▪ Padma Bhushan awardee Nooyi, the ▪ The autobiography of freedom fighter ‘Khan former CEO of PepsiCo is set to publish her Abdul Ghaffar Khan’, titled “The Frontier memoir titled “My Life in Full: Work, Family Gandhi: My Life and Struggle” has been and Our Future”. The book will feature both released. the personal and professional life of Indra ▪ The book is English translation of Khan’s Nooyi. autobiography, which was first published in About Indra Nooyi: Iranian language Pashto in 1983. ▪ Indra Nooyi, an Indian American, worked at ▪ The English translation of the book is done PepsiCo for around 24 years. by former Pakistani civil servant and author ▪ She served as the CEO and Chairman of Imitiaz Ahmad Sahibzada. PepsiCo for 12 years from 2006 to 2018. ▪ She was honoured with Padma Bhushan in 2007 for trade and Industry.

1.8 AWARDS & HONOURS Amitabh Bachchan to be honoured with ▪ Head quarters of FIAF : Brussels, Belgium. 2021 FIAF Award Deepika Padukone joins WEF list of ▪ Megastar Amitabh Bachchan will be honoured with an award by the International Federation Young Global Leader of Film Archives (FIAF). ▪ Actor Deepika Padukone has joined the list of Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii the Young Global Leaders (YGLs) compiled

▪ The veteran actor will be the first Indian cinema personality to be bestowed with the FIAF by the World Economic Forum. The list also Award for his dedication and contribution to includes several Indian citizens and India- the preservation of the world’s film heritage. origin persons. www.vetriias.com 17 18 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

▪ The Forum of Young Global Leaders was IWOC founded in 2005 by Klaus Schwab, founder ▪ The International Women of Courage Award, and executive chairman of the WEF, to create also referred to as the U.S. Secretary of State's a world where leaders take responsibility for a International Women of Courage Award, is an sustainable future while meeting increasingly American award presented annually by the complex and interrelated challenges. United States Department of State to women WEF around the world who have shown leadership, ▪ President : Borge Brende courage, resourcefulness, and willingness to sacrifice for others, especially in promoting ▪ Founded on : 24 January 1971 women's rights. ▪ Head Quarters : Cologny Switzerland V.S. Natarajan gets lifetime award Tamilisai Soundararajan presented ▪ Senior geriatrician V.S.Natarajan was Global Women of Excellence Award presented with the lifetime achievement ▪ Lt. Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan was award at the Global Congress of Physicians of

presented the Top 20 Global Women of IAS Study Circle Vetrii Indian Origin through a virtual meeting held Excellence Award for 2020 at a US event. on February 27 and 28. ▪ She joined a league of extraordinary women achievers across the world chosen for the award, Imayam wins Sahitya Akademi Award including US Vice President Kamala Harris. ▪ Tamil writer Imayam, who calls himself a writer of the Dravidian movement and ▪ The award instituted by the US Congressional captures the stark realities of the caste system Multi Advisory Task Force led by Congressman and the lives of Maha dalits, won the Sahitya Danny K. Davis, Representative of Illinois’s 7th Akademi Award for 2020 for his novel Sellatha Congressional district, was presented during Panam. the 9th Congressional International Women’s Day Gala at Naperville, Illinois. ▪ He wants to dedicate the award to the leaders of the Justice Party and the Dravidian Receives Baton of Honor Movement, Periyar, Anna and Kalaignar M. from President Karunanidhi, and Ambedkar. ▪ , Shri Ram Nath Kovind ▪ He is the first writer from ‘Nadu Nadu’ presented a Baton of Honour and a letter of Cuddalore, Villupuram and Arcot districts of appreciation to former Puducherry Lieutenant Tamil Nadu to win the award. Governor Kiran Bedi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan ▪ Born V.Annamalai in Cuddalore district, in Delhi on March 08, 2021. Imayam has written six novels, six short story ▪ The Baton of Honor is decorated with the collections and a novel. In 2019, his first novel emblem of the Indian Republic. Koveru Kazhuthaikal, translated into English ▪ Bedi was recognised for her services to the as Burden of Beast, completed 25 years. Union Territory of Puducherry. ▪ His novel Pethavan poignantly tells the story Gowsalya Shankar presented with of the problems faced by a family when their IWOC 2021 Award daughter falls in love with a Dalit. ▪ The U.S. Consulate honoured Tamil Nadu ▪ His latest work Vaazhga Vaazhga is about the based anticaste activist and human rights loss of innocent lives at political events. defender Gowsalya Shankar with the Sahitya Akademi Awards International Woman of Courage (IWOC) ▪ Sahitya Akademi award established in 1954, is Award. a literary honour that is conferred annually by Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii Sahitya Akademi, India’s National Academy ▪ The of Nomination was handed over to her by U.S. Consul General in Chennai Judith Ravin of letters. at an event of ‘Courageous Women Inspire a ▪ Award is presented to the most outstanding Better World’ held . books of literary merit published in any of 18 www.vetriias.com HISTORY | 19

the twenty-four major Indian languages Year Winner Contribution recognized by the Akademi (including English). 2019 (Late) His Strengthening ▪ Sahitya Akademi award is the second highest Majesty relations between literary honour by the Government of India, Sultan India and Oman, after Jananpith award. Qaboos bin and his efforts to ▪ The award is presented in the form of a casket Said Al Said promote peace containing an engraved copper-plaque, a of Oman and non-violence shawl and a cheque of Rs 1 lakh. in the Gulf Jagan honours daughter of National region. Flag creator, presents her Rs. 75 lakh 2020 Bangabandhu Inspiring the ▪ Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy Sheikh liberation of felicitated National Flag creator Pingali Mujibur Bangladesh, Venkayya's daughter Ghantasala Seetha

Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii Rahman of laying the Mahalakshmi and his other family members

on the occasion of 75 years of the Flag, and Bangladesh foundation for announced the launch of Azadi ka Amrut the close and Mahotsav in Andhra Pradesh. fraternal relations ▪ Gandhi has repeatedly stressed the need between India for a separate national flag for our country. and Bangladesh, Subsequently, Pingali vengayya made more and promoting than 30 different flags and displayed them peace and when Gandhi visited Vijayawada in 1921. non-violence Sahitya Akademi Award for translation in the Indian goes to K.V. Jeyasri subcontinent. ▪ Award given for her translation of the Malayalam novel Nilam Poothu Malarnna Naal Ministry of Sports Decides to Extend (The day the land bloomed and blossomed) “Khelo India” scheme from 2021-22 to into Tamil as Nilam Poothu Malarntha Naal. 2025-26 ▪ K.V. Jeyasri, a Tamil teacher from ▪ The Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Tiruvannamalai, has won the Sahitya Sports Shri Kiren Rijiju has announced that Akademi Award 2019 for her translation the Sports Ministry has decided to extend the of the Malayalam novel Nilam Poothu Khelo India scheme for a period of five years, Malarnna Naal (The day the land bloomed from 2021-22 to 2025-26. and blossomed) into Tamil as Nilam Poothu Khelo India Malarntha Naal. ▪ The scheme was launched in 2016–17, to ` ▪ The award includes a cash prize of 50,000 and improve India’s sports culture at the grass-root a copper plaque. level through organized talent identification, ▪ Ms. Jeyasri is currently translating IAS officer structured sporting competitions and K.V. Mohankumar’s novel Ushnarasi. infrastructure development. ▪ It is about the communist movement in Kerala 67th National Film Awards Announced and culminates in its capture of power in 1957. ▪ The winner of 67th National Film Awards was

Gandhi Peace Prize for 2019 and 2020 IAS Study Circle Vetrii announced on 22 March 2021 in New Delhi to announced honour best of Indian cinema in 2019. ▪ The Gandhi Peace Prize for the years 2019 and ▪ Most Film Friendly State Award – Sikkim 2020 has been conferred on the following:

www.vetriias.com 19 20 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

▪ Award for Best Book on Cinema – A Gandhian ▪ Best Hindi Film: Chhichhore. Affair: India’s Curious Portrayal of Love in EY Entrepreneur year of the award Cinema, by Sanjay Suri 2020 ▪ Best Feature Film: Marakkar: Lion of the ▪ Marico chairman Harsh C.Mariwala was Arabian Sea (Malayalam) named the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2020. ▪ Best Actor (shared) : Manoj Bajpayee for ▪ He will represent the country at the EY World Bhonsle (Hindi), and Dhanush for Asuran Entrepreneur of the Year Award in June. (Tamil) ▪ Marico is one of the largest and most ▪ Best Actress: Kangana Ranaut for Panga recognizable FMCG (Fast-moving consumer (Hindi) and Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi goods) companies in the country. (Hindi) ▪ It owns brands such as Parachute and Saffola. ▪ Best Director: Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan for Bahattar Hoorain (Hindi) ▪ Best Non-Feature Film: An Engineered Dream (Hindi) IAS Study Circle Vetrii

1.9 INDIA AND ITS NEIGHBOURS Pakistan National Day ▪ The reason being no incident of ceasefire ▪ March 23 marks the adoption of the violation has happened since the joint Pakistan Resolution in 1940 at a summit of announcement and also because it has the Muslim leaders in Lahore city in which the Pakistan Army’s support. subcontinent's Muslim leaders set the agenda Bangladesh is celebrating 50th for a separate homeland for Muslims. Independence Day The Lahore Resolution ▪ The 13-day military conflict is one of the ▪ Lahore Resolution adopted at the general shortest wars in history. It ended with a session of the muslim league. In 1940 decisive win for India and led to the creation mohammed ali jinnah called a general session of Bangladesh. India on Wednesday is of the All India Muslim League in Lahore to observing the 50th anniversary of the 1971 war discuss the situation that had arisen due to the with Pakistan, also known as the Bangladesh outbreak of the Second World War and the Liberation War. Government of India joining the war without ▪ Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered taking the opinion of the Indian leaders, and prayers at the centuries-old Jeshoreshwari Kali also to analyse the reasons that led to the defeat temple in Ishwaripur village in southwestern of the Muslim League in the general election of Bangladesh. 1937 in the Muslim majority provinces. ▪ Modi honours Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur ▪ The Resolution was adopted on 24 March with Rahman with Gandhi Peace Prize, announces great enthusiasm. The Hindu Press dubbed Swarna Jayanti scholarship for youths of it as the 'Pakistan Demand', after the scheme Bangladesh and invites 50 entrepreneurs from invented by Rahmat Ali, an Indian Muslim the neighbouring country to come and invest living at Cambridge. in India.

LoC silent in March IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute

▪ Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane has to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Bangabandhu evinced hope that the ceasefire reiteration at Mausoleum Complex, Tungipara. the Line of Control with Pakistan will stay.

20 www.vetriias.com HISTORY | 21

▪ Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ▪ It is a perennial river and has several peculiar Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina visited characteristics due to its geography and the Bangabandhu International Conference prevailing climatic conditions. Center in Dhaka. ▪ It is flooded twice annually. One flood is India and Japan back in new Sri Lanka caused by the melting of the Himalayan snow in summer and the other due to the monsoon port project flows. ▪ Sri Lanka announced it will develop the West Container Terminal (WCT) at the Colombo First ever visit of Indian Naval Ships to the historic port city of Mongla Port, along with India and Japan. ▪ The Indian Naval Ships, INS Sumedha–an ▪ The decision comes a month after the Rajapaksa indigenously build Offshore Patrol vessel, government ejected the two partners from a and INS Kulish–an indigenously built guided 2019 tripartite agreement to jointly develop missile corvette, are on three-day visit to the the East Container Terminal (ECT), citing historic port town of Mongla in Bangladesh

resistance to “foreign involvement”. IAS Study Circle Vetrii from March 8 to 10, 2021. ▪ This is the first time ever that any Indian ▪ While the High Commission of India had Naval Ship is visiting the port of Mongla in “approved” Adani Ports, which was to invest Bangladesh. in the ECT project earlier, Japan is yet to name ▪ The basic aim of this visit is to pay homage to an investor, according to officially published the Bangladeshi and Indian combatants and Cabinet decisions. Neither India nor Japan has citizens who laid down their lives during the officially commented on the offer, or on the Liberation War of 1971 against Pakistan. said private investment from the countries. ▪ The ships will take part in the ongoing Swarnim Vijay Varsh celebrations to commemorate 50 China gives green light for first years of Liberation War of 1971 and reiterating downstream dams on Brahmaputra the historic Indo-Bangladeshi friendship. ▪ A draft of China’s new Five-Year Plan (2021- Mizoram, Manipur offers help to 2025), which is set to be formally approved has Myanmar refugees given the green light for the first dams to be ▪ Four Northeast Indian states share the border built on the lower reaches of Yarlung Zangbo with Myanmar: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, river, as the Brahmaputra is known in Mizoram, and Manipur. before it flows into India. Arunachal Pradesh Current issues ▪ Capital City – Itanagar ▪ As India and China continue to grow ▪ Chief Minister – demographically as well as economically amid ▪ Governor – B.D. Mishra increased consumption among its citizenry, ▪ State Animal – Gayal both nations face water constraints and in Nagaland a race to develop new projects in order to ▪ Capital – Imphal overcome them. ▪ Governor – Najma Heptulla Brahmaputra: ▪ Chief Minister – N.Biren Singh ▪ It originates under the name of Siang or ▪ National Park – Keibul Lamjao National Park Dihang, from the Chemayungdung glacier of Mizoram the Kailash range near the Mansarovar lake. It

Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ Capital – Aizawl enters India west of Sadiya town in Arunachal

Pradesh. ▪ Governor – PS Sreedharan Pillai ▪ Tributaries: Dibang, Lohit, Siang, Burhi ▪ National Parks (NP) – Murlen NP, Champhai; Dihing, Tista, and Dhansari. Phawngpui National Park, Lawngtlai www.vetriias.com 21 22 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

▪ Tiger Reserve – Dampa Tiger Reserve, Mamit Commission, Central Electricity Authority and About Manipur National Hydroelectric Power Corporation. ▪ Capital - Imphal ▪ The Pakistani delegation will be led by ▪ Governor - Najma Heptulla Syed Muhammad Meher Ali Shah, Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters and his eight ▪ Chief Minister - N.Biren Singh advisors. ▪ State Flower - Shirui Lily Indus water Treaty - 1960 ▪ State Tree - Uningthou ▪ The Indus Water Treaty (IWT) between India Indus Commissioners of India, Pakistan and Pakistan marks its 61st anniversary. to meet in New Delhi on Mar 23-24 ▪ The Indus system comprises the main Indus, ▪ The Indus Commissioners of India and Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej. The Pakistan will meet on March 23 and 24 to basin is mainly shared by India and Pakistan discuss a host of issues, including Islamabad's with a small share for China and Afghanistan. concerns to the design of Indian hydropower ▪ With the partition of India in 1947, waters of projects on the Chenab River. IAS Study Circle Vetrii Indus rivers system were also divided.

▪ This will be the annual meeting of the ▪ The sharing formula, devised after prolonged Permanent Indus Commission. Under the negotiations, sliced the Indus system into provisions of the Indus Water Treaty, both the two halves. The three ‘western rivers’ (Indus, commissioners are required to meet at least Jhelum and Chenab) went to Pakistan and the once a year alternately in India and Pakistan. three ‘eastern rivers’ (Sutlej, Ravi and Beas) ▪ This will also be the first meeting between the were portioned to India. two commissioners after the nullification of ▪ India is allowed to use 20% water of the special provisions under Article 370 that gave western rivers for irrigation, power generation special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The state and transport purposes. was later carved into two union territories -- ▪ IWT granted 3.6 million acre-feet (MAF) Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir. of “permissible storage capacity” to India ▪ The Indian delegation will be led by Saxena on the western rivers but due to poor water with his advisors from the Central Water development projects, 2-3 MAF of water easily flows into Pakistan. 1.10 LATEST HISTORICAL EVENTS Modi flags off padyatra to ▪ Ideas at 75 commemorate salt march ▪ Achievements at 75 ▪ Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged ▪ Actions at 75 off the foot march to re enact the historic ▪ Resolves at 75 Mahatma Gandhi led Salt March, while launching the ‘Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav’, ▪ The padyatra is being undertaken by 81 the government’s initiative to mark 75 years of persons on April 5. The march from Sabarmati India’s Independence. Ashram in Ahmedabad to Dandi in Navsari district, a distance of 386 km, will take them 25 ▪ Prime Minister Modi announced the 75th days. It will mark the 91st anniversary of the anniversary celebrations would continue till historic march against the tax on salt imposed August 15, 2023. by the British in India. He reiterated the Five Themes Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

▪ Freedom Struggle

22 www.vetriias.com HISTORY | 23 1.10 APPOINTMENTS – WHO IS WHO? ▪ Shri Matam Venkata Rao was appointed as ▪ The UN is structured around five principal the Managing Director and Chief Executive organs: Officer of Central Bank of India. ▪ General Assembly CII-TN Council gets a new chairman ▪ United Nations Security Council (UNSC) ▪ Dr. S. Chandrakumar, founder and executive ▪ Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) chairman, Sri Kauvery Medical Care India ▪ International Court of Justice Ltd, Trichy has been elected chairman of the ▪ UN Secretariat. CII Tamil Nadu State Council for 2021-22. United Nations Environment Programme Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) ▪ The UNEP is a leading global environmental ▪ CII is a non-government, not for profit, industry authority established on 5th June 1972. led and industry managed organization, ▪ Functions: It sets the global environmental playing a proactive role in India's development agenda, promotes the sustainable development

process. IAS Study Circle Vetrii within the United Nations system, and

▪ Founded in 1895, India's premier business serves as an authoritative advocate for global association has around 9000 members, from environment protection. the private as well as public sectors, including ▪ Major Reports: Emission Gap Report, Global SMEs and MNCs, and an indirect membership Environment Outlook, Frontiers, Invest into of over 300,000 enterprises from around 276 Healthy Planet. national and regional sectoral industry bodies. ▪ Major Campaigns: Beat Pollution, UN75, Indian Economist Ligia Noronha World Environment Day, Wild for Life. appointed as Assistant Secretary- ▪ Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya. General of UN ▪ Leading Indian economist Ligia Noronha has NABARD’s Chairman G.R. Chintala been appointed as the Assistant Secretary- takes charge as Chairman of APRACA General and Head of the New York Office of ▪ G.R. Chintala, the Chairman of National the United Nations Environment Programme Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (UNEP). (NABARD), has been sworn in as the new ▪ Noronha will succeed fellow Indian and Chairman of APRACA (Asia Pacific Rural and development economist Satya Tripathi. Agricultural Credit Association). ▪ Noronha, who is working with UNEP since ▪ Chintala has taken over from DPK Gunasekera, 2014, is an economist with over 30 years who is the Chief Executive Officer of Bank of of international experience in the field of Ceylon. sustainable development. NABARD ▪ Prior to joining the UNEP, Noronha worked ▪ Started on: 12 July 1982 at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) ▪ Head Quarters: Mumbai in New Delhi as Executive Director (Research ▪ Chairman: G.R.Chintala Coordination) and as Director of the Division APRACA on Resources, Regulation and Global Security. ▪ Asia-Pacific Rural and Agricultural Credit United Nations Association (APRACA) is a regional ▪ The United Nations (UN) is an international association that promotes cooperation and organization founded in 1945. It is currently facilitates mutual exchange of information and

made up of 193 Member States. IAS Study Circle Vetrii expertise in the field of rural finance.

▪ Currently,it has a total of 86 institutions in 24 countries in the Asia-Pacific Region that are affiliated with the APRACA as its members.

www.vetriias.com 23 24 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

The General Secretariat of APRACA is located Girish Murmu re-appointed Chairman in Bangkok,. of UN Panel of External Auditors ▪ APRACA along with NENARACA (Near East ▪ Comptroller and Auditor General of India – North Africa Agricultural Credit Association) (CAG), Girish Chandra Murmu has been re- and AFRACA (African Rural and Agricultural appointed as the Chairman of the Panel of Credit Association) were established with External Auditors of the United Nations for the help of FAO following the 1975 World the year 2021. Prior to this, Mr Murmu was Conference on Agricultural Credit. elected as Chairman of the Panel for 2020 as well. Bach re-elected IOC chief ▪ At present, the panel consists of 13 countries ▪ Thomas Bach was re-elected as president of which are India, Germany, Chile, China, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) United Kingdom, France, Philippines, for a final four year term. Switzerland, Italy, Ghana, Indonesia, Canada ▪ Bach received unanimous backing in the and Russia. election in which he was the sole candidate, Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii CAG

with 93 of the 94 valid votes from IOC members in favour of his re-election. ▪ The Constitution of India provides for an independent office of the Comptroller and International Olympic Committee Auditor General of India (CAG) in chapter V ▪ Summer and Winter Olympic Games are under Part V. organized by the IOC. ▪ The CAG is mentioned in the Constitution of ▪ It is a non-governmental sports organization India under Article 148 – 151. headquartered at Lausanne, Switzerland. ▪ He is the head of the Indian Audit and ▪ It was founded by Pierre de Coubertin and Accounts Department. Demetrios Vikelas on 23rd June 1894. ▪ He is the guardian of the public purse and Anurag Thakur promoted as captain in controls the entire financial system of the Territorial Army country at both the levels- the centre and state. ▪ Minister of State for Finance and Corporate ▪ His duty is to uphold the Constitution of Affairs Anurag Thakur became the first India and the laws of Parliament in the field of serving union minister to be promoted as financial administration. Captain in the Territorial Army as a regular Appointment and Term to commissioned officer. Constitutionals Posts: ▪ Thakur was promoted to the rank of Captain ▪ The CAG is appointed by the President of at 124 Infantry Battalion Territorial Army India by a warrant under his hand and seal. (Sikh). Thakur announced that it is an honour and pride to be part of the Territorial Army ▪ Term: 6 years or 65 years. and a part of 124 Sikh Regiment. Government Appoints Dr. GP Samanta Territorial Army as new Chief Statistician of India ▪ The modern Territorial Army was inaugurated ▪ The Central Government has appointed Dr. by the first Indian Governor-General of India, G P Samanta as the new Chief Statistician of C. Rajagopalachari, on 9 October 1949 after India (CSI) for a period of two years. He is the Independence Territorial Army Act was India’s fourth CSI. passed in 1948. ▪ Currently, Dr Samanta was serving as an ▪ By 1972, units were either disbanded or adviser in the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii Department Of Statistics and Information

converted to Regular Army units with the exception of infantry battalions. Management.

24 www.vetriias.com HISTORY | 25

▪ He will replace Kshatrapati who was M A Ganapathy appointed as Chief of holding additional charge of the post since National Security Guard September 2020. ▪ Senior IPS officer M A Ganapathy has been ▪ Dr. Samanta will also serve as the Secretary appointed as the Director General (DG) of in the Ministry of Statistics and Programme National Security Guard (NSG) on March 16, Implementation (MoSPI). 2021. New IOB director National Security Guard (NSG) ▪ S. Srimathy has taken charge as the executive ▪ The NSG is a counter-terrorism unit that director of Indian Overseas Bank. formally came into existence in 1986 by an act of Parliament ‘National Security Guard Act, ▪ She was also deputed as the chief vigilance 1986’. officer of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) in July ▪ The idea behind raising such force came in the 2018. aftermath of Operation Blue Star (an Indian military action carried out to remove militant

Lt Gen B S Raju appointed as the DGMO IAS Study Circle Vetrii religious leader from the Golden Temple, ▪ Lt Gen B S Raju, the General-Officer- Amritsar) in 1984, Akshardham Temple attack Commanding of the Srinagar-based Chinar and the assassination of former PM Indira Corps, will be the new Director General of Gandhi, for ‘combating terrorist activities Military Operations (DGMO) of the Indian with a view to protect states against internal Army. disturbances.’ Ajay Mathur takes over as Director Kuldiep Singh appointed as Chief of General of International Solar Alliance Central Reserve Police Force (ISA) ▪ The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet ▪ Dr Ajay Mathur has assumed office as the has appointed senior IPS officer Kuldiep Singh ▪ Director General of the International Solar as the Director General (DG) of the Central Alliance (ISA) with effect from March 15, 2021. Reserve Police Force (CRPF). ▪ He has been appointed for a period of four ▪ Singh, a 1986 batch IPS officer of the West years which can be renewed for an additional Bengal cadre, is presently the Special DG, term. CRPF. ▪ Dr Ajay Mathur has replaced Upendra Dr. Harsh Vardhan appointed as Tripathy, who completed his term on March Chairman of ‘Stop TB Partnership 15, after serving as the Director General since Board’ 2017. ▪ The Union Health Minister, Dr. Harsh International Solar Alliance Vardhan, has been appointed as the chairman ▪ It is an Indian initiative that was launched by of “Stop TB Partnership Board” on March 18, the and the President 2021. of France on 30th November 2015 in Paris, ▪ This appointment was made to recognise France on the side-lines of the Conference of his outstanding contribution towards the the Parties (COP-21), with 121 solar resource- movement of eradicating Tuberculosis (TB) rich countries lying fully or partially between from India by 2025. the tropic of Cancer and tropic of Capricorn as ▪ He will be serving the global body for a three- prospective members. year term from July 2021. ▪ Objective: To collectively address key ▪ Stop TB Partnership was established in 2001. common challenges to the scaling up of solar IAS Study Circle Vetrii energy in ISA member countries. ▪ The organization was established after the meeting of First Session of Ad Hoc Committee on Tuberculosis Epidemic which was held in

www.vetriias.com 25 26 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

London in 1998. Biotechnology. ▪ India has committed to eliminating TB by Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser 2025. India’s deadline is five years ahead of ▪ It was set-up in November 1999 by the Cabinet global deadline of 2030. Secretariat. Justice N.V. Ramana set to take over as Objectives: 48th CJI ▪ To evolve policies, strategies and missions ▪ Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde has for the generation of innovations and support recommended Justice N.V. Ramana, the systems for multiple applications. senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, as UIDAI, FCI get new heads in govt the next top judge. ▪ Saurabh Garg as the CEO of Unique ▪ Justice NV Ramana is currently the senior- Identification of Authority of India (UIDAI), most judge in the Supreme Court of India. Sanjeev Kumar as Chairman of Airports He was previously serving as the Delhi High Authority of India and Atish Chandra as CMD Court Chief Justice and acting Chief Justice of of Food Corporation of India (FCI). Andhra Pradesh High Court. IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ Prashant Kumar Singh as CEO of Government ▪ Justice NV Ramana is due to retire on August e¬Marketplace (GeM). 26, 2022. Unique Identification Authority of India Chief Justice of India ▪ The Unique Identification Authority of India ▪ The Chief Justice of India and the Judges (UIDAI) is a statutory authority established on of the Supreme Court are appointed by the 12 July 2016 by the Government of India under President under clause (2) of Article 124 of the the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Electronics Constitution. and Information Technology, following the ▪ The Supreme Court has ruled that the office provisions of the Aadhaar Act 2016. of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) is a public ▪ The UIDAI is mandated to assign a 12-digit authority under the Right to Information (RTI) unique identification (UID) number (Aadhaar) Act, 2005. to all the residents of India. Indian-American Doctor Vivek Murthy ▪ The UIDAI was initially set up by the appointed as US Surgeon General Government of India in January 2009, as an ▪ The US Senate has voted, 57-43, to confirm attached office under the aegis of the Planning the appointment of Indian-American doctor Commission. Vivek Murthy as the Surgeon General under FCI US President Biden’s administration. ▪ The Nodal Agency in Food Management ▪ The 43-year-old Dr Murthy would occupy the is Food Corporation of India, which is position of America’s Surgeon General for the responsible to procure, store and distribute the second time. foodgrains. FCI is a statutory body established via Food Corporation Act 1964 ▪ Dr Murthy was appointed as surgeon general under the Obama administration in 2011 but ▪ Head Quarters – New Delhi was fired by former President Trump in 2017. AAI ▪ Founded in 1995, the Airports Authority K. Vijay Raghavan gets one-year of India was created through the Airports extension Authority of India Act, 1994 under the aegis ▪ The government has extended the term of of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Hence, it is a Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) K. Vijay statutory body. Raghavan by a year. Order was issued by the IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ The headquarters of the Airports Authority of Department of Personnel and Training. India is in New Delhi. ▪ Dr. Vijayaraghavan, 67, was appointed PSA in 2018 after retiring as Secretary, Department of

26 www.vetriias.com HISTORY | 27

Government e-Marketplace (GeM) ▪ GeM is a one-stop National Public Procurement Portal to facilitate online procurement of common use Goods & Services required by various Central and State Government Departments / Organizations /Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). ▪ It was launched in 2016 to bring transparency and efficiency in the government buying process. ▪ It operates under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

www.vetriias.com 27 ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ Pariyojana Pradhan MantriBhartiyaJanaushadhi ▪ Janaushadhi Scheme ▪ SEC ▪ Commissioners Bureaucrats cannotbeStateElection 2.2 GOVT–WELFAREORIENTEDSCHEMES,THEIRUTILITY medicines through educationand publicityso It willcreate awarenessaboutgeneric redefine theunitcostoftreatment perperson. pocket expenditureonmedicines andthereby generic medicines so as to reduce the out-of- It also intends to extendthecoverage of quality efficacy asexpensivebranded drugs. and in quality are equivalent prices but generic drugs,which are available atlesser up toprovide set PMBJP storeshavebeen under theMinistryofChemicals&Fertilizers. The Bureau ofPharma PSUs of India works implementation agencyforPMBJP. Bureau ofPharmaPSUs of India (BPPI) is the under thenameJanAushadiCampaign. of Pharmaceuticals in2008 the Department by Pariyojana (PMBJP)isacampaignlaunched Pradhan MantriBhartiyaJanaushadhi March 2021. across the countryfrom1stMarchto7th celebrated The Janaushadhiweekisbeing direction andcontrolofthepreparation Election Commissioner,thesuperintendence, Election Commission, consistingofaState The Constitution of India vests in the State appointed StateElectionCommissioners. persons andnotbureaucratsshouldbe independent The SupremeCourtheldthat 2. POLITICAL 2.1 LATESTCOURTVERDICTS SCIENCE ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ Reservation Cases andarticlesrelatedto Pradhan Mantri JanDhanYojana Vetrii▪ IAS Study Circle high price. that qualityis not synonymous with anonly the SEC. for thedischargeoffunctionsconferred on Commission such staff as may be necessary make availabletotheStateElection requested by theStateElection Commission, As per article243 (C3) theGovernor,whenso by theGovernor. The StateElectionCommissioner isappointed Municipalities (Articles243K,243ZA). Panchayats andthe all electionstothe of electoralrollsfor,andtheconduct 102 which reservationcancrossthe50%mark. exemption of“exceptionalcircumstances” by the Maratha quotalawiscoveredby changed socialdynamicsofthesociety”. constitutional amendments,judgmentsand relook a requires by alargerBench“inthelightofsubsequent 50%, at reservation fixed Indira SowhneyJudgementof1992,which broad issues: The Constitution Bench will decide on these policy/structure. federal affects the of citizens”,andthereby, legislate fororclassify “any backwardclass Article 342A abrogatesaStates’ power to State toconferquotabenefits tothem. economically backward classes withinthe enact alegislationtoidentifysociallyand deprives aStatelegislatureofitspowerto nd ConstitutionalAmendmentAct POLITICAL SCIENCE | 29

▪ The finance ministry announced about 55 per ▪ The major benefit of PMSSN will be enhanced cent of the total account holders under the access to universal and affordable health care Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), a through availability of earmarked resources, flagship scheme of the government to promote while ensuring that the amount does not lapse financial inclusion, are women. at the end of financial year. ▪ As of February 24, 2021, 23.21 crore accounts, ▪ Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi, out of the total 41.93 crore accounts opened PMSSN is a non-lapsable reserve fund for under the PMJDY scheme, belong to women Health in the Public Account and Proceeds of account holders. share of health in the Health and Education ▪ With regard to the Pradhan Mantri Cess will be credited into it. Yojana (PMMY), it said, about 68 per cent or ▪ The administration and maintenance of the 19.04 crore accounts with an amount of Rs 6.36 Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi is lakh crore (as of February 26, 2021) have been entrusted to the Health Ministry and in any sanctioned to women entrepreneurs under the financial year.

scheme since its inception. IAS Study Circle Vetrii Sewer network scheme

PMJDY Scheme ▪ Nearly 8,000 sewer connections have been ▪ Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (P`MJDY) provided in the added areas under the Metro- th was launched by Narendra Modi on 28 water scheme ‘Ilanthorum Inaippu’. August 2014. It is a national mission with an aim ▪ The scheme, which was launched last to provide access to various financial services month facilitates residents to pay a bill in including Remittance, Credit, Insurance, 10 installments in five years after the house Pension, Banking Savings & Deposit Accounts service connection is given as part of the in an affordable manner. underground sewer network. MUDRA Scheme ▪ Presently, residents from Tiruvottiyur, ▪ Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY) Ambattur, Valasaravakkam and is a scheme launched by the Hon'ble Prime Sholinganallur had opted for connections Minister on April 8, 2015 for providing loans under the scheme. up to 10 lakh to the non-corporate, non-farm ▪ The project is being undertaken at a cost of small/micro enterprises. These loans are `50 crore in the first phase. A similar scheme classified as MUDRA loans under PMMY. is being executed in core areas under the Cabinet approves ‘PM Swasthya ‘Azhaithal Inaippu’ scheme, where sewer Suraksha Nidhi’ as single non-lapsable connections are provided based on calls from reserve fund residents. ▪ The Union Cabinet approved the Pradhan Government to supply fortified rice Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi (PMSSN) as through ICDS, Midday Meal scheme a single non-lapsable reserve fund for share from April of Health from the proceeds of Health and ▪ To ensure nutritional security, the government Education Cess levied under Finance Act, has decided to scale up the distribution of 2007. fortified rice and start its supply through Integrated Child Development Services and Mid-Day Meal scheme from April. ▪ Fortified rice is being distributed via ration shops, also called the public distribution

Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii system (PDS), in one district each in six states out of the 15 states identified for implementation of a central scheme on a pilot basis for three months in 2019-20.

www.vetriias.com 29 30 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

▪ The objective of the scheme was to address Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik anaemia and micro-nutrient deficiency in the ▪ Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) was country. launched as a regional connectivity scheme ▪ About 65 per cent of India's population under the Ministry of Civil Aviation in 2016. consumes rice as a staple food. Fortification ▪ It is an innovative scheme to develop the of rice is a cost-effective and complementary regional aviation market. strategy to increase vitamin and mineral ▪ The objective of scheme is to create affordable content in diets and a step towards nutritional yet economically viable and profitable flights security and to fight anaemia and malnutrition on regional routes so that flying becomes in the country. affordable to the common man even in small Integrated Child Development Services towns. ▪ CDS stands for Integrated Child Development ▪ The scheme envisages providing connectivity Services. to un-served and underserved airports of the ▪ ICDS was launched in the year 1975. country through the revival of existing air-

▪ It is a centrally sponsored scheme executed IAS Study Circle Vetrii strips and airports. The scheme is operational by the Ministry of Women and Child for a period of 10 years. Development. New Saral Pension scheme offers ▪ The Central Government is responsible for retirees options programme planning and operating costs ▪ Insurance regulator IRDAI's Saral pension while State governments are accountable for plan is one such scheme that comes into effect programme execution & providing additional on April 1, 2021. Under the scheme, insurers nutrition out of their own resources. will pay the policy holders a minimum sum Govt invites bids for over 390 air routes of Rs 1,000/ month, Rs 3,000/ quarter, and Rs under fresh UDAN 12,000/ year. ▪ The civil aviation ministry has invited bids ▪ In India, retirement planning is often perceived for around 392 routes under the regional air to begin only in the latter years of a person's connectivity scheme as part of continuing career often through making rent-accruing efforts to improve domestic connectivity as investments in combination with insurance. well as make flying more affordable. ▪ Under the Insurance Regulatory and ▪ Under the Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) Development Authority of India's guidelines, regional connectivity scheme, which will the maximum amount that can be paid by complete four years this year, as many insurance firms is not capped. Industry as 325 routes and 56 airports have been experts say that like other annuity plans, the operationalised. Saral Pension scheme requires people to pay a lump sum amount at the time of purchasing ▪ These include five heliports and two water the policy, and this will then be followed by aerodromes. On the commencement of the annuity payments. ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (India@75)’ launched by the Government of India, the ▪ Under the guidelines, the annuity payments Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has are given to the insurer for life, and upon the proposed about 392 routes under UDAN 4.1 death of the policy holder, they will be paid bidding process. to the spouse or the nominee. Saral Pension, as the name suggests, is a simple pension plan ▪ The UDAN 4.1 round is focused on connecting that guarantees immediate payments with smaller airports, along with special helicopter no dependence on markets and no cap on and seaplane routes. IAS Study Circle Vetrii

investments made by the policy holders.

30 www.vetriias.com POLITICAL SCIENCE | 31

▪ The minimum age to begin receiving the Objectives: annuity payments is 40 years and the ▪ To supplement agriculture. maximum is 70 years. ▪ To create processing and preservation Insurance Regulatory and Development capacities. Authority of India ▪ To modernise and expand existing food ▪ Founded: 1999 processing units with a view to increasing the ▪ Headquarters: Hyderabad level of processing. ▪ Chairperson: Subhash Chandra Khuntia ▪ To add value leading to the reduction of wastage. Haryana, T.N. institutes get national importance tag Manipur is the model state for Van ▪ Rajya Sabha approved a bill that declares Dhan Program two food technology institutes at Kundli in ▪ Manipur has been announced as the winning Haryana and Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu as state where the Van Dhan Vikas Yojana has proved to be a major source of employment

national institutes. IAS Study Circle Vetrii

▪ The Rajya Sabha passed The National Institutes for local tribals. of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and ▪ The achievement has been attained because Management Bill, 2019 by voice vote. of active cooperation and participation of the ▪ The Bill declares National Institute of state government at every level. The program Food Technology Entrepreneurship and was launched in October 2019. Management Kundli, and the Indian Institute About Van Dhan Vikas Kendras initiative: of Food Processing Technology, Thanjavur ▪ The initiative aims to promote MFPs-centric as National Institutes of Food Technology, livelihood development of tribal gatherers and Entrepreneurship and Management. artisans. ▪ The law will also create jobs and turn farmers ▪ It mainstreams the tribal community by into entrepreneurs. So far, 444 lakh jobs have promoting primary level value addition to been created under the Kisan SAMPADA MFP at grassroots level. Yojana, and 147 lakh farmers have benefited ▪ Significance: Through this initiative, the share from this scheme. of tribals in the value chain of Non-Timber ▪ The main aim is to make decisions and Forest Produce is expected to rise from the collaborate with other world-class institutions present 20% to around 60%. which will make them at par with the IIMs and Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin. IITs. ▪ 10 crore houses completed under Pradhan Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin. ▪ In 2016, MoFPI introduced an umbrella Scheme About PMAY- G : for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters or SAMPADA, ▪ Ministry: Ministry of Rural Development. which was proposed to be implemented with ▪ The erstwhile rural housing scheme Indira an allocation of `6,000 crores for the period of Awaas yojana (IAY) has been restructured 2016-20. into Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana –Gramin ▪ In 2017, SAMPADA was renamed as the (PMAY-G) from 01.04.2016. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana ▪ PMAY-G aims at providing a pucca house, (PMKSY). with basic amenities, to all houseless and those ▪ It is a Central Sector Scheme. households living in kutcha and dilapidated Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii house, by 2022.

▪ Target: Construction of 2.95 crore houses with all basic amenities by the year 2022.

www.vetriias.com 31 32 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

Cost sharing ▪ The cost of unit assistance in this scheme is shared between Central and State Governments in the ratio 60:40 in plain areas and 90: 10 for North Eastern and Himalayan States. ▪ The scheme envisages training of Rural Masons with the objective of improving workmanship and quality of construction of houses while at the same time, increasing availability of skilled masons and enhancing employability of such masons. Selection of beneficiaries ▪ Based on housing deprivation parameters of

Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC), IAS Study Circle Vetrii

2011, subject to 13 point exclusion criteria, followed by Gram Sabha verification. Swadesh Darshan Scheme ▪ The scheme was launched by the Union Tourism Ministry with the objective to develop theme-based tourist circuits in India. ▪ These tourist circuits will be developed on the principles of high tourist value, competitiveness and sustainability in an integrated manner. ▪ The scheme was launched in 2015. ▪ It is a Central Sector Scheme (which means 100% sponsored by the GOI). Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

32 www.vetriias.com ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ 5 NewFrogSpeciesinWestern Ghats ▪ ▪ Iceland bracingforvolcaniceruption ▪ ▪ ▪ Killing twobirdswithonestone known tohavenarrowgeographicalranges. to theWesternGhats,andmostspecies are the globallyknown shrub frogs are restricted researchers, over80%of According tothe and othernaturalhistoryobservations. based morphology, DNA, calling pattern,behaviour, distinct be to on multiplecriteria,suchastheirexternal found and identified Researchers said thenewspecies were frog familyRhacophoridae. Old Worldtree to the The frogs,belonging recognised biodiversityhotspots. frogs shrub from theWesternGhats,oneofglobally of species new five discovered Researchers fromIndiaandtheU.S.have peninsula insouthwestern Iceland. to MountFagradalsfjall on theReykjanes close Geldingadalur, in valley a in fissure a of out flowed and bubbled lava red of Streams subsiding. be to appeared years 900 in time first the for Iceland's capital Reykjavik afterawakening A volcano that spewed glowing red lava near voters. conserve the smallbirdandalsomotivate need to the It willspreadawarenessabout Electoral Participation)programme. SVEEP (SystematicVoters’Educationand it hasbeenmadethemascotofHailakandi’s The house sparrow abundant in the regionand voters toexercisetheirfranchiseonApril1. are relyingonthesparrowtomotivate The authorities in Assam’s Hailakandi district 3.1 POLICYONENVIRONMENTANDECOLOGY 3. GEOGRAPHY

Vetrii IAS Study Circle ▪ Researchers findnewbutterflyspecies of ThreatenedTaxa. decade ago hasnowfoundplaceinthejournal Agasthyamalais in theWesternGhatsa Sinhala ramaswamiiSadasivan,2021inthe species Nacaduba India. Thediscovery ofthe in butterflies of list expanding the to species A groupoflepidopteristshaveadded a ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ GST ▪ GST Council ▪ month GST revenuehits ▪ ▪ social equality initiative toadvanceracialjustice, joinsWorldWipro EconomicForum and services. Article 246A–Stateshave power totaxgoods Integrated GSTtocoverinter-state trade. etc, StateGSTtocoverVAT,luxurytaxetc. Central GSTtocover Excise duty, Service tax (101st Amendment)Act,2016. as TheConstitution renumbered inthestatute This got anapproval in 2016 and was as TheConstitution(122ndAmendment)Bill. 2014 in introduced first was Bill GST India, In It's Chairman isUnionFinanceMinister of the President toadminister&govern GST. Article 279A-GSTCouncil tobeformed by administration. economic recovery and improved tax worth collections with row, a in month fifth record in Februarytopped`1 lakh crore-mark for a Goods andServicesTax(GST)collections action andaccountabilityforcompanies to The initiative is aimed towards driving workplace. for peopleofallracialbackgroundsinthe of diversity,inclusion,equityandjustice in Business’ initiative topromote a culture Forum’s (WEF)‘PartneringforRacialJustice Wipro hasjoinedtheWorldEconomic `1,13,143 crore,indicatingasustained 4.1 NEWECONOMICPOLICY&GOVT.SECTOR 4.1 CURRENTSOCIO-ECONOMICPROBLEMS 1 Lakh-crore for5th `1 Lakh-crore 4. ECONOMICS ▪ ▪ Anti-dumping tax Anti-dumping ▪ ▪ ▪ World EconomicForum Vetrii IAS Study▪ Circle▪ The decisionsaretakenby3/4thmajority. states have2/3rd. centre willhave1/3rdvotingpowerandthe The councilisdevised in suchawaythatthe governments asitsmembers. India withministersnominatedbythestate identities. under-represented racialandethnic with inclusion and advancement of professionals and accomplish necessary policy changesfor global standards for racial justice in business confront racismatasystemiclevel,setnew Head Quarters:ColognySwitzerland Founded on:24January1971 President :BørgeBrende charges initshome(ordomestic) market. normally it price, the than lower significantly a companyexportsproduct atapricethatis market value.Dumpingisaprocess wherein fair believes arepricedbelow it imports that that adomesticgovernmentimposes on foreign An anti-dumping taxis a protectionisttariff from 18countriesincludingIndia. aluminium sheetexporters to tax preparing The U.S.DepartmentofCommerceis ECONOMICS | 35

India's forex reserves increase by $689 ▪ India’s largest private sector lender HDFC million to $584.55 billion Bank has launched a dedicated mentoring ▪ India's forex reserves increased for the second programme ‘SmartUp Unnati’, to support consecutive week, touching $ 584.554 billion women entrepreneurs. as of February 26, up by $689 million. ▪ The initiative has been launched on the ▪ The foreign currency assets include the effect occasion of International Women’ Day on of appreciation or depreciation of non-US March 08, 2021. units like the euro, pound and yen held in the ▪ The programme is available only to existing foreign exchange reserves. customers and will initially target more than Foreign Exchange Reserves: 3,000 women entrepreneurs associated with ▪ Foreign exchange reserves are assets held on the bank’s SmartUp programme. reserve by a central bank in foreign currencies, Cabinet gives nod to Bill for setting up which can include bonds, treasury bills and DFI other government securities. ▪ The Union Cabinet approved a Bill to set up ▪ It needs to be noted that most foreign exchange IAS Study Circle Vetrii a Development Finance Institution, Finance

reserves are held in U.S. dollars. Minister announced. ▪ These assets serve many purposes but are ▪ The government had mentioned in the Budget most significantly held to ensure that the that it would be setting up a national bank central bank has backup funds if the national for funding infrastructure and development currency rapidly devalues or becomes activity. altogether insolvent. Development Finance Institution India’s Forex Reserves include: ▪ In India, the first DFI was operationalized ▪ Foreign Currency Assets in 1948 with the setting up of the Industrial ▪ Gold Finance Corporation (IFCI). ▪ Special Drawing Rights ▪ These are specialized institutions set up ▪ Reserve position with the International primarily to provide development/ Project Monetary Fund (IMF). finance especially in developing countries. ▪ These DFIs are usually majority-owned by GDP to grow at 11% in FY22 national governments. ▪ Crisil announced it expects the Indian economy to grow at 11% in fiscal 2022, after an ▪ The source of capital of these banks is national estimated 8% contraction this fiscal due to the or international development funds. pandemic. ▪ This ensures their creditworthiness and their ability to provide project finance in a very CRISIL (Credit Rating Information Services of competitive rate. India Limited) ▪ This full-service rating agency is the major US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen credit rating agency in India, with a market speaks with Nirmala Sitharaman share of more than 60%. ▪ US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has spoken ▪ It is offering its services in financial, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman manufacturing, service, and SME sectors. during which she appreciated India’s role as a ▪ The headquarter of CRISIL is in Mumbai critical partner in fighting the Covid pandemic ▪ The majority stake of CRISIL was held by and discussed the global economic outlook. the world’s largest rating agency Standard & ▪ This was Yellen’s first call with Sitharaman

Poor’s. IAS Study Circle Vetrii after she became the first woman Treasury Secretary of the United States in January. HDFC Bank launches ‘SmartUp Unnati’ ▪ They agreed to work closely through common for Women Entrepreneurs economic and strategic collaboration in

www.vetriias.com 35 36 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

various multilateral fora, including the G20. ▪ The foreign contributions are received by ▪ The five permanent members are the United 18,000 NGOs from about 130 countries on an States, the Russian Federation, France, China average. and the United Kingdom. ▪ There are around 22,400 NGOs in the country registered under the Foreign Contribution Electoral bonds (Regulation) Act. ▪ The government notified the electoral bonds scheme on January 2, 2018. It defended the Govt Working To Provide Optical Fibre scheme in court and it allowed anonymity to Connection to 6.5 Lakh Villages political donors to protect them from “political ▪ The government is working to provide optical victimisation”. fibre connection to 6.5 lakh villages, Minister Background of Communications and IT Ravi Shankar ▪ Electoral Bond is a financial instrument for Prasad announced. making donations to political parties. ▪ The National Broadband Mission (NBM) ▪ The bonds are issued in multiples of Rs. 1,000, IAS Study Circle Vetrii was launched on December 17, 2019 with a

Rs. 10,000, Rs. 1 lakh, Rs. 10 lakh and Rs. 1 vision to enable fast track growth of digital crore without any maximum limit. communications infrastructure, bridge the Rajya Sabha passes bill to raise FDI in digital divide for digital empowerment insurance to 74% and inclusion, and provide affordable and ▪ Rajya Sabha passed the Insurance universal access to broadband for all. (Amendment) Bill, 2021 that seeks to raise the Chief Economic Adviser FDI in insurance sector to 74 per cent from the ▪ The disinvestment target of Rs 1.75 lakh crore current 49 per cent, despite opposition push to for 2021-22 was 'imminently achievable,' refer the Bill to a standing committee. Chief Economic Adviser KV Subramanian ▪ The Act was first amended during Atal Bihari announced the proposed Initial Public Vajpayee’s tenure when 26 per cent FDI was Offering (IPO) by LIC itself could garner Rs 1 allowed in the insurance sector. lakh crore for the government. ▪ In 2015, the law was amended further to allow The Rangarajan Committee on disinvestment 49 per cent FDI and now the amendment is for 1993 allowing 74 per cent. ▪ The Rangarajan Committee of 1993 was FDI constituted by the government for making recommendations in context with the ▪ Foreign investment was introduced in 1991 disinvestment. under Foreign Exchange Management Act ▪ The committee proclaimed that: (FEMA), driven by then FM Manmohan Singh. ▪ The units to be disinvested should be NGOs received Rs 50,975-crore foreign identified and disinvestment could be made funding in last 4 years upto any level, except in defence and atomic ▪ NGOs working in India and registered under energy where the government should retain the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act the majority holding in equity. have received funding of over Rs 50,975 crore ▪ Disinvestment should be a transparent process from abroad in the last four years with the duly protecting the right of the workers. highest donations of Rs 19,941 crore coming ▪ An autonomous body for the smooth from the United States. IAS Study Circle Vetrii functioning and monitoring of the disinvestment programme should be established.

36 www.vetriias.com HISTORY | 37

▪ This recommendation led to the Disinvestment Commission in 1996 as an advisory body having a fulltime chairman and four part-time members. The Commission was required to advise the government on the extent, made, timing and princing of disinvestment. ▪ It suggested four modes of disinvestment viz. Trade sale, Strategic Sale, Offer of shares and Closure or sale of Assets. HDFC Bank Adjudged “India’s Best SME Bank” By Asiamoney ▪ HDFC Bank has emerged as the ‘India’s Best Bank for SMEs’ at the Asiamoney Best Bank Awards 2021. ▪ The Asiamoney Best Bank Awards is based IAS Study Circle Vetrii

upon “Annual Best Banks survey” by a financial magazine based in Hong Kong, to identify which banks in each market have excelled across a range of core banking activities over the past 12 months. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

www.vetriias.com 37 ▪ ▪ ▪ imaging satelliteGISAT-1 ISRO lininguplaunchofIndia'sgeo ▪ celebrations ofSriLanka Air Force IAF toparticipatein70thanniversary ▪ ▪ for Covaxin CSIR labhelpeddevelopkey molecule state oftheart agileearthobservationsatellite first the is GISAT-1 2268kg, about Weighing Centre (SDSC)SHAR,Sriharikota. Second Launch PadofSatishDhawanSpace will launch GISAT-1 fromthe (GSLV-F10) Geosynchronous LaunchVehicle GISAT-1. lining upthelaunchofitsgeoimagingsatellite The IndianSpaceResearch Organisation is SLAF. as partofthe70thanniversarycelebrations Face, Colombo,scheduled from 03–05Mar21 in anAirShow atGalle Tejas willparticipate (SLAF). The Suryakirans,Sarang and LCA 21 onaninvitationfromtheSriLankaAirForce Tejas arrived atColombo,SriLanka,on27Feb Aircraft Combat Light ‘Sarang’, alongwith wing rotary and “Suryakirans’ wing fixed the The Indian Air Force aerobatic display teams, damaging thebody. requisite typeof immune responses without aluminium hydroxide gel togeneratethe TLR7/8 as anagonistoradjuvantonto IMDG’, whichcontainschemicallyabsorbed The vaccine has beenformulatedwith‘Algel Biotech InternationalLimited. vaccine developed bythecitybasedBharat indigenous development ofCovaxin,the Research (CSIR) lab playedarole in the Industrial and Scientific for Council a (IICT), The IndianInstituteofChemicalTechnology 5.1 LATESTINVENTIONSONSCIENCE&TECHNOLOGY 5. SCIENCE ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ PSLV-C51 Mission ▪ Vetrii▪ NewSpace IndiaLimited (NSIL) IAS Study▪ Circle▪ Amazonia-1 Transfer OrbitbyGSLV-F10. which willbeplacedinaGeosynchronous Space KidzIndia)and14fromNSIL. institutes andOneSatishDhawanSatfrom from theconsortium of threeIndianacademic include fourfromIN-SPACe(threeUNITYsats werealsolaunchedonSunday.These Along with Amazonia-1, 18 co-passenger Department ofSpace. Government ofIndiacompanyunderthe mission commercial of NewSpaceIndiaLimited(NSIL),a dedicated first the is It designed, integratedbyBrazil-Amazonia-1. In this mission, ISRO launched the first satellite Sriharikota Range(SHAR) from SatishDhawanSpaceCentre(SDSC) the Polar (PSLV-C51) Brazil and18co-passengersatellitesonboard launched theprimarysatelliteAmazonia-1of (ISRO) The IndianSpaceResearchOrganisation Programme., the “NewSpaceIndiaLimited and services emanating from the India Space In order to commercially exploit theproducts Department ofSpace. A GovernmentofIndiacompany underthe agriculture acrosstheBrazilian territory. the Amazon region and analysis of diversified data tousersformonitoringdeforestationin providing remotesensing existing structureby the This satellitewouldfurtherstrengthen Brazil's ministryofscience. for Space Research (INPE), the research unit of observation satelliteof the NationalInstitute The 637-kgAmazonia-1istheopticalearth SCIENCE | 39

(NSIL)” has been incorporated in March 2019, Mangalyaan which entered the orbit of the red as a wholly-owned Government of India planet in 2014. Company. Mars Size and Distance: ▪ Headquarters : ▪ It is the fourth planet from the Sun and the Space Kidz India, Chennai second-smallest planet in the Solar System. ▪ "Space Kidz India", is an organization creating ▪ Mars is about half the size of Earth. "Young scientists" for the "Country" and Previous Mars Missions spreading awareness among children for a ▪ The Soviet Union in 1971 became the first "borderless world". It creates International country to carry out a Mars landing. experiential learning for students in the field ▪ The second country to reach Mars’s surface is of science, Technology, Art, and Culture. the United State of America (USA). Since 1976, ▪ We are the 1st organization in the World to it has achieved 8 successful Mars landings, the have launched Satellites through high school latest being the ‘Insight’ in 2019. and college students. ▪ European Space Agency has been able to place Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

Russia launches first Arctic-monitoring their in Mars’s orbit through the Satellite ‘Arktika-M’ Mars Express Mission. ▪ The Russian space corporation Roscosmos India’s (MOM) or successfully launched its first satellite to Mangalyaan: monitor the Arctic’s climate and environment. ▪ It was launched from the Space ▪ The satellite called “Arktika-M”, was launched Centre in Andhra Pradesh by Indian Space on February 28, 2021, onboard Soyuz-2.1b Research Organisation in November 2013. carrier rocket, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome Indigenously developed in Kazakhstan. “Spectrograph” commissioned in ▪ This satellite will help to collect information to Nainital solve operational meteorology and hydrology ▪ Indian Scientists at Research problems, and monitoring the climate and Institute of observational sciences (ARIES), environment in the Arctic region. Nainital, have indigenously designed and China releases high-resolution Mars developed a low-cost optical Spectrograph images from its Tianwen-1 probe named as Aries-Devasthal Faint Object ▪ China's national space agency published high- Spectrograph & Camera (ADFOSC). resolution images of Mars captured by the ▪ It has been commissioned on the 3.6-m country's Tianwen-1 probe, which is currently Devasthal Optical Telescope (DOT), in the orbiting the Red planet. Nainital district of Uttarakhand. ▪ These images include two panchromatic view DRDO successfully flight test SFDR and one colour image, said the China National technology Space Administration (CNSA). ▪ The Defence Research and Development ▪ It is estimated that the diameter of the Organisation (DRDO) conducted successful largest impact crater in the images is around flight test of Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) 620 meters, state-run Xinhua news agency technology from the integrated test range reported quoting CNSA statement. (ITR), Chandipur, off Odisha coast. ▪ China launched Tianwen-1 on July 23, 2020. ▪ The success of SFDR technology will enable ▪ The spacecraft, consisting of an orbiter, a DRDO to develop long-range air to air missiles.

lander and a rover, entered the parking orbit IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ The SFDR is a missile propulsion system being around Mars on February 24. developed primarily by the Defence Research ▪ India became the first Asian country to have and Development Laboratory (DRDL) and successfully launched its Mars orbiter mission Research Centre Imarat (RCI) in Hyderabad.

www.vetriias.com 39 40 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

▪ The High Energy Material Research “replace” ISRO. Laboratory (HEMRL) has developed the ▪ The NSIL recently coordinated the launch of nozzle-less booster while the ramjet engine is the Amazonia satellite by Brazil on February being developed with Russian assistance. 28, its first fully commercial mission that also DRDO saw 18 other satellites being launched. ▪ Chairman: Dr G Satheesh Reddy ISRO ▪ Head Quarters: New Delhi ▪ Chairman : K.Sivan ▪ Founded on: 1958 ▪ Head Quarters : Bengaluru Missiles ▪ Founded on : 15 August 1969 ▪ Short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile ISRO develops radar for joint mission with – Prithvi NASA ▪ Intermediate-range surface-to-surface ballistic ▪ ISRO has completed development of missile – Agni a Synthetic Aperture Radar capable of producing high-resolution images for a joint

▪ Short-range low-level surface-to-air missile – IAS Study Circle Vetrii

Trishul earth observation satellite mission with the ▪ Medium-range surface-to-air missile – Akash U.S. space agency NASA. ▪ Third generation anti-tank missile – Nag ▪ The mission is targeted to be launched in 2022. NASA's Perseverance Drives on Mars' In a first, China launches virus passport Terrain for First Time ▪ China has launched a health certificate programme for Chinese international ▪ NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover travellers, leading the world in plans for so performed its first drive on Mars March 4, called virus passports. covering 21.3 feet (6.5 meters) across the Martian landscape. ▪ Aim : To help promote world economic recovery and facilitate cross border travel. ▪ The drive served as a mobility test that marks just one of many milestones as team members ▪ Although the certificate is meant for travel in check out and calibrate every system, and out of China, it is currently only available subsystem, and instrument on Perseverance. for use by Chinese citizens, and it is not yet mandatory. ▪ The drive, which lasted about 33 minutes, propelled the rover forward 13 feet (4 meters), ▪ There is also no indication authorities in other where it then turned in place 150 degrees to countries will use it when Chinese travellers the left and backed up 8 feet (2.5 meters) into go abroad. its new temporary parking space. First military exercise in space launched ▪ The main tool the science team will use to do - AsterX close-up examination of the geologic features ▪ France has successfully launched the first of Jezero Crater. military exercise in space. ISRO will handle Projects ▪ It will help the country in testing its abilities ▪ The Indian Space Research Organisation to protect its satellites as well as other defence (ISRO) has announced it will be in charge equipment from other space forces. of projects linked to national security and ▪ The exercise has been codenamed ‘AsterX’ advanced technology such as the forth coming and the German Space force and the US space Chandrayaan2 missions and the force have also been participating in it. mission that plans to send Indian cosmonauts

Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii India, Japan space agencies into space. ▪ Indian and Japanese space agencies reviewed ▪ The Standing Committee on Science and cooperation in earth observation, lunar Technology, led by Rajya Sabha member cooperation and satellite navigation, and Jairam Ramesh on whether the NSIL would

40 www.vetriias.com SCIENCE | 41

also agreed to explore opportunities for haematites. This caused excitement, as the cooperation in “space situational awareness presence of heematites suggests that there was and professional exchange programme”. water present on Mars. ▪ A bilateral meeting between the Indian Space India’s First Free-Space Quantum Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Japan Communication Over 300 Metres Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) held ▪ In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Indian Space virtually. Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully ▪ India and Japan are already working on a joint demonstrated free-space Quantum lunar polar exploration (LUPEX) mission and Communication over a distance of 300 metre, the two space agencies have been working with several technologies developed within on the mission that aims to send a lander and the country. rover to the Moon’s south pole around 2024. ▪ The demonstration included live video Italy conferencing using quantum-key-encrypted ▪ India and Italy decided to explore opportunities signals, at Space Applications Centre (SAC), in earth observation, space science and robotic IAS Study Circle Vetrii Ahmedabad, between two line-of-sight and human exploration. buildings within the campus. Australia ISRO ▪ India and Australia signed an amendment ▪ Chairman: K.Sivan to the MoU which will build on the ▪ Founded on :15th August 1969 Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Both countries are also in discussions for Australia ▪ Head Quarters: Bengaluru to host vital tracking infrastructure to support Pakistan successfully test-fires nuclear- the Gaganyaan manned space flight mission. capable ballistic missile Shaheen-1A ISRO launches Sounding Rocket ‘RH- ▪ The Pakistan Army successfully test-fired a 560’ to study Altitudinal Variations nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic ▪ The Indian Space Research Organisation missile Shaheen-1A on March 26, 2021. (ISRO) launched the indigenously made ▪ The missile has a range of 900 kilometers. sounding rocket, RH-560, on March 12, 2021, ▪ Shaheen 1-A is equipped with sophisticated from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), and advanced guidance system, which makes Sriharikota Range (SHAR), Andhra Pradesh. it highly accurate missile system. ▪ The aim of this RH-560 is to study altitude Covovax trials begin in India variations in the neutral winds and plasma ▪ The CEO of Serum Institute of India (SII), dynamics. the world's largest vaccine maker, Adar ▪ The Bengaluru-headquartered space agency, Poonawalla, has announced the trials for ISRO has developed a series of sounding Covovax, a vaccine jointly to be developed rockets called “ series”. Among them by both SII and US-based biotechnology the important ones are RH-200, RH-300 and company Novavax, have finally started in RH-560. India. Adar said the vaccine has been tested Martian ‘ blueberries’ find a parallel on against African and UK variants of COVID-19 Earth Similar haematite concretions and has overall efficacy of 89 per cent. have been found in Kutch, Gujarat ▪ The vaccine could be launched by September ▪ In 2004, NASA’s Mars exploration rover 2021. ‘Opportunity’ found several small spheres

on the planet, informally named Martian IAS Study Circle Vetrii New species of red algae seen in west,

blueberries. Opportunity’s spectrometers south east Indian coast studied the mineralogy and noted they ▪ Two new species of seaweed have been were made of iron oxide compounds called discovered by a group of marine biologists

www.vetriias.com 41 42 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

from Central University of Punjab, Bathinda. the renowned Indian biodiversity scientist, Named Hypnea indica (after India) and Dr. Ajmal Khan, a former professor at Hypnea bullata (because of the blisterlike Annamalai University in Tamil Nadu. marks on its body – bullate). ▪ The genome analysis of Methylobacterium ▪ While Hypnea indica was discovered ajmalii strains revealed the presence of genes Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, and Somnath that are involved in promoting plant growth. Pathan and Sivrajpur in Gujarat, Hypnea ▪ The bacterial strains belonging to the family bullata was discovered from Kanyakumari Methylobacteriaceae. and Diu island of Daman and Diu. ▪ It was isolated from different locations aboard New Bacteria Methylobacterium ajmalii the ISS across two consecutive flights. Found on ISO Named After Indian ▪ The findings of the study were published Scientist Ajmal Khan in a recent issue of the journal Frontiers in ▪ The new bacterial strains discovered from Microbiology. different locations aboard the ISS . About the Research: Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ The research teams were led by Kasthuri ▪ The researchers named the novel species as Methylobacterium ajmalii, in honour of Venkateswaran of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 5.2 LATEST DISCOVERIES IN HEALTH SCIENCE Fourth firm ties up to make Sputnik V partners of RDIF. ▪ Russia’s sovereign wealth fund RDIF (Russian ▪ It is the fourth such agreement RDIF has Direct Investment Fund) announced it had entered into for producing Sputnik V in India, entered into an agreement with Virchow beginning with the Hetero Group to make 100 Biotech of Hyderabad to produce up to 200 million doses. million doses per year of COVID-19 vaccine ▪ The other two are with Gland Pharma (252 Sputnik V in the country. million doses) and Stelis Biopharma (200 ▪ Virchow Biotech’s capacities will help facilitate million doses). global supply of Sputnik V to international 5.3 MASS MEDIA & COMMUNICATION E-Daakhil portal for consumer ▪ The Jammu and Kashmir administration grievance redressal operational in 15 distributed tablets among auxiliary nursing states, UTs midwives (ANMs) and launched an ▪ The government on February 26, 2021 said application under the national health mission the ‘E-Daakhil’ portal for consumer grievance for identification and tracking of beneficiaries. redressal is now operational in 15 states ▪ The ANMOL application will empower ANMs and Union Territories (UTs). The Consumer and frontline health workers in carrying Protection Act, 2019, which came into force out their day-to-day work efficiently and from July 20, 2020, has a provision for e-filing effectively. of consumer complaints in the consumer commissions and online payment of the fees for filing a complaint. To facilitate the rural consumers for e-filing, common service centres

(CSC) has been integrated with the E-Daakhil IAS Study Circle Vetrii

portal. J-K administration launches ANMOL app under national health mission

42 www.vetriias.com SCIENCE | 43

▪ The ANMOL application allows ANMs to cVIGIL enter and update records of beneficiaries on ▪ The poll panel has received as many as 1,120 real-time basis. complaints regarding violation of MCC National Health Mission through c-vigil mobile application, of which, ▪ National Health Mission (NHM) was launched 695 have been resolved and other complaints by the government of India in 2013 subsuming are being looked into. the National Rural Health Mission and the About App National Urban Health Mission. It was further ▪ Election commission of India launched a extended in March 2018, to continue till March mobile app called cVIGIL. 2020. ▪ A user-friendly and easy to operate Android ▪ The main programmatic components include application, requires an Android smartphone Health System Strengthening in rural and equipped with a camera, good internet urban areas for - Reproductive-Maternal- connection and GPS access. Neonatal-Child and Adolescent Health SWAYAM

(RMNCH+A), and Communicable and Non- IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Communicable Diseases. Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM), was launched Some Major initiatives on July 9, 2017 by the Ministry of Education to ▪ Mission Indradhanush – It helped in increasing provide one integrated platform and portal for immunization cover by over 5% in just 1 year. online courses. ▪ Kayakalp Initiative – This was launched with ▪ This covers all higher education subjects and the plan to inculcate hygiene, sanitation, skill sector courses. effective waste management, and infection ▪ The objective is to ensure that every student control in public health facilities. in the country has access to the best quality ▪ This initiative has introduced awards which higher education at the affordable cost. resulted in significant improvement in ▪ Academicians from hundreds of institutions sanitation standards. throughout the country are involved in cVIGIL App developing & delivering Massive open online ▪ Election commission of India launched a courses (MOOCs) through SWAYAM in mobile app called cVIGIL. almost all disciplines from senior schooling to Post Graduation. ▪ A user-friendly and easy to operate Android application, requires an Android smartphone SWAYAM Prabha equipped with a camera, good internet ▪ It is an initiative of the Ministry of Human connection and GPS access Resources Development to provide 32 High Quality Educational Channels through DTH ▪ It will be operational only where elections are across the length and breadth of the country announced. cVIGIL will allow anyone in the on 24X7 basis. election-bound state to report violations of Model Code of Conduct. ▪ It has curriculum-based course content covering diverse disciplines. World’s fastest supercomputer “Fugaku’ ▪ This is primarily aimed at making quality begins operations learning resources accessible to remote areas ▪ The world’s most powerful supercomputer where internet availability is still a challenge. named “Fugaku”, developed by Japanese ▪ The DTH channels are using the GSAT-15 scientific research institute RIKEN and Fujitsu, satellite for programme telecasts. has been made available for research work. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

▪ The development of the machine was started about six years ago in 2014 and was completed in May 2020.

www.vetriias.com 43 44 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

POWERGRID Launches Certified E-Tendering Portal “PRANIT” ▪ State-owned Power Grid Corporation of India (POWERGRID) has launched an “e-Tendering Portal” called ‘PRANIT’ to make tendering process more transparent. ▪ The portal ”PRANIT” will involve less paperwork and allow ease of operation, which in turn will make the tendering process more transparent. Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) ▪ It is an Indian central public sector unit and a Maharatna company. The company is owned

by Ministry of Power. It is headquartered in IAS Study Circle Vetrii Gurugram, India. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

44 www.vetriias.com ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ inaugurates GlobalBioIndia2021 Health MinisterHarshVardhan ▪ ▪ ▪ NHAI ▪ to enterLimcaBookofRecords NHAI builds25.54-kmlanein18hours, ▪ ▪ Chief ElectoralOffice India atnationalaswellinternationallevel. opportunities ofthebiotechnologysector Purpose -toshowcase the strengthand tag line“BiosciencestoBio-economy”. Theme 2021–“Transforminglives”withthe 01 to03,2021,onadigitalplatform. The three-dayeventwillbeheldfromMarch through virtualmode. edition ofGlobalBio-India-2021inNewDelhi Dr. HarshVardhaninauguratedthesecond Earth SciencesandHealth&FamilyWelfare The UnionMinisterforScience&Technology, (NHDP) isa project toupgrade,rehabilitate National Highways DevelopmentProject maintenance and management. other minorprojects fordevelopment, with Highways Development Project,along National the entrusted with It hasbeen Road TransportandHighways. the administrativecontrol oftheMinistry was setupunderNHAIAct,1988.Itis National HighwaysAuthorityofIndia(NHAI) Solapur-Vijapur (NH52)in18hours. stretch of25.54kmbeingdevelopedbetween four-lane (NHAI) completedsinglelaneofthe The NationalHighwayAuthorityofIndia Government/Union TerritoryAdministration. Electoral Officer in consultation with that State Government of theState/UnionTerritoryasChief the of Officer an designates or The ElectionCommission of Indianominates Sahoo Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer - Satyabrata DIARY OFEVENT 6. NATIONAL– ▪ ▪ ▪ Produce’ programme Govt announces‘One DistrictOneFocus ▪ Vetrii▪ Sansad TV IASmerged intoonesingle entitycalled Lok SabhaTVandRajya Study▪ State’s largestconstituency Circle standard. Theprojectwasstartedin1998. and widenmajorhighwaysinIndiatoahigher PKVY toproduceagriculturalproducts. under schemes likeMITH, NFSM,RKVY, to farmers has mangoes.Assistanceisavailable fish coconuts, TrichyhasbananasandKrishnagiri have districts products, Thanjavur, Coimbatore has Ramanathapuram and Kanyakumari, Nagapattinam,Chengalpattu There are36districts in Tamil Nadu. fund totheorganization. Union governmentgives35% this Initiative, Council ofAgriculturalResearch(ICAR).For the states,UnionTerritoriesandIndian sectors across the countryaftertakinginputsfrom marine aquaculture, from fisheries, milk, identified been agricultural, horticultural,animal,poultry, have products The income. ministries and also it helpsincrease farmers’ resources under differentschemesofvarious districts so that there is convergence of one product for each of the country’s 728 several identified products under15broadcategories,allotting has Centre the products, With theaimtoboostexportofagriculture The newchannel hasbeennamed as the entity. respectively, have beenmergedintoa single the upperandlower Houses of Parliament, channels that broadcasttheproceedings of The Rajya Sabhaand Lok Sabha Television Sholinganallur inChennai 46 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

‘Sansad Television’. respectively by the Union Housing and Urban ▪ This change is effective from March 01, 2021. Affairs Ministry’s Ease of Living Index. ▪ Ravi Capoor, a retired IAS officer of the ▪ The Ease of Living Index 2020, in which 111 1986 batch, has been appointed as the Chief cities participated during the assessment in Executive Officer (CEO) of Sansad TV for one 2020 that included citizens’ had Bengaluru year. at the top, followed by Pune, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Surat, Navi Mumbai, Coimbatore, Delimitation Commission gets one-year , Indore and Greater Mumbai in extension to conclude its task in J&K the category of cities with over 1 million ▪ The Delimitation Commission, a panel for population. redrawing the parliamentary and Assembly ▪ In cities with less than a million population, constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, has got Shimla topped the list, followed by a one-year extension. Bhubaneshwar, Silvassa, Kakinada, Salem, ▪ According to section 60 of the Jammu and Vellore, Gandhinagar, Gurugram, Davangere Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019, the number

Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii and Tiruchirappalli.

of seats in the Legislative Assembly of the ▪ The Ministry also released the Municipal Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir shall Performance Index 2020, which rated 111 be increased from 107 to 114. municipalities on their services, finance, ▪ With 24 seats in PoK, the effective strength policy, technology and governance. will go up from 83 to 90. ▪ Indore topped the ranking of municipalities Delimitation Commission with over 1 million population, followed ▪ The Delimitation Commission is appointed by Surat and Bhopal, and the New Delhi by the President of India and works in Municipal Council was the best among civic collaboration with the Election Commission of bodies with under a million population, by India. Tirupati and Gandhinagar. Composition: Smart Cities Mission ▪ Retired Supreme Court judge ▪ Smart Cities Mission was launched in 2015 ▪ Chief Election Commissioner to promote sustainable and inclusive cities ▪ Respective State Election Commissioners that provide core infrastructure and give a decent quality of life to its citizens, a clean and Functions: sustainable environment and application of ▪ To determine the number and boundaries Smart Solutions. of constituencies to make population of all constituencies nearly equal. IISc in top 100 list in natural sciences ▪ To identify seats reserved for Scheduled ▪ The Indian Institute of Science broke into the Castes and Scheduled Tribes, wherever their top 100 in the natural sciences category of the population is relatively large. QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021 ▪ In case of difference of opinion among ▪ Three institutions made it to the top 100 the members of the Commission, the opinion of IITs Bombay, Delhi and Madras in comparison the majority prevails. to five institutions last year. ▪ The Delimitation Commission in India is a ▪ The top¬ ranked Indian programme globally high-power body whose orders have the force is the IIT Madras petroleum engineering of law and cannot be called in question before programme which dropped one place to the any court. 30th rank, followed by mineral and mining

Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii engineering at IITs Bombay and Kharagpur,

Bengaluru, Shimla ‘most live able’ cities which are ranked at 41st and 44th place in ▪ Bengaluru and Shimla were ranked as the their field. most live able in the categories of cities with ▪ The University of Delhi’s development studies more than and less than 1 million population 46 www.vetriias.com NATIONAL – DIARY OF EVENT | 47

programme is the only other one in the top 50, ▪ Mexico officially became the International sliding in at the 50th rank. Energy Agency’s 30th member country in QS World University Rankings February 2018, and its first member in Latin ▪ Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) is a leading global America. career and education network for ambitious New Science Centre Inaugurated at professionals looking to further their personal Udaipur in Tripura and professional development. ▪ The Udaipur Science Centre was inaugurated Organization of the Petroleum by Governor of Tripura Ramesh Bais at Exporting Countries (OPEC) Udaipur, Tripura. ▪ The Organization of the Petroleum ▪ The new science centre would enable the Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a permanent, students to learn many unknown facts about intergovernmental organization, created at science. the Baghdad Conference in 1960, by Iran, Iraq, ▪ It has been developed by the National Council Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela. of Science Museums (NCSM). Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

▪ It aims to manage the supply of oil in an effort ▪ Udaipur centre is the 22nd Science Centre to set the price of oil in the world market, in which has been developed by NCSM under the order to avoid fluctuations that might affect the Ministry of Culture’s Scheme for Promotion of economies of both producing and purchasing Culture of Science. countries. Panel led by Modi set up for 75th I-Day ▪ It is headquartered in Vienna, Austria. ▪ The Centre set up a high level committee for ▪ As of 2019, OPEC has a total of 14 Member planning the commemoration of the 75th year Countries viz. Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, United Arab of Independence in 2022. Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Libya, ▪ The Ministry notified the formation of the Nigeria, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Republic 259-member national committee, chaired by of Congo, Angola, Ecuador and Venezuela are Prime Minister Narendra Modi. members of OPEC. ▪ The members of the panel include former Recent Issues president Pratibha Patil, Chief Justice of India ▪ According to the International Energy Agency SA Bobde, NSA Ajit Doval, 28 chief ministers, (IEA), the Organisation of the Petroleum artistes like Lata Mangeshkar, Nobel laureate Exporting Countries (OPEC+) plus might face Amartya Sen, senior BJP leader LK Advani, sharp demand fall due to a recent surge in almost all Union ministers and several crude oil production from the countries like governors. USA, Norway, and Guyana. ▪ The celebrations are proposed to be launched ▪ The non-OPEC countries which export crude 75 weeks prior to August 15, 2022, on March oil are termed as OPEC plus countries. 12, 2021, which is the 91st anniversary of ▪ OPEC plus countries include Azerbaijan, the historic Salt Satyagraha led by Mahatma Bahrain, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Gandhi. Mexico, Oman, Russia, South Sudan and Sudan. Institute of National Importance tag for International Energy Agency National School of Drama ▪ It was established in the wake of 1973 (set up ▪ NSD Society chairman and actor Paresh Rawal in 1974) oil crisis after the OPEC cartel had has announced, the government is actively shocked the world with a steep increase in oil considering giving the Institute of National prices. IAS Study Circle Vetrii Importance tag to the National School of Drama, as well as re-developing its campus in ▪ It is headquartered in Paris, France Delhi. ▪ India became an associate member of the ▪ The NSD, which has four regional centres in International Energy Agency in 2017. www.vetriias.com 47 48 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

Varanasi, Bengaluru, Agartala and Gangtok, ▪ To commemorate International Women’s had received a request from Jammu and Day on March 8, 2021, achieved another feat Kashmir Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha when Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State recently for setting up a centre in J&K. (Independent Charge) for Ports, Shipping ▪ NSD is planning to collaborate with various & Waterways, virtually flagged off the ‘All eminent theatre directors in the country to Women Officers’ Sailing’ on m.t.Swarna produce 75 plays on the theme of freedom Krishna SCI’s product carrier from JNPT struggle and freedom fighters. The details Liquid Berth Jetty on March 6, 2021 are being worked out in consultation with International Maritime Organization Ministry of Culture. ▪ India joined the IMO in 1959. Institute of National Importance ▪ The IMO currently lists India as among the 10 ▪ It is an institute ‘which serves as a pivotal states with the ‘largest interest in international player in developing highly skilled personnel seaborne trade’. within the specified region of the country/ Anganwadis

state’. IAS Study Circle Vetrii

▪ Only half of government schools and ▪ Institute of National Importance (INI) is a anganwadis have tap water supply, despite status that may be conferred on a premier a 100day campaign for 100% coverage being public higher education institution in India by launched by the Jal Shakti Ministry in October an act of Parliament of India. 2020, according to information provided to the ▪ As of 2020, there are 159 institutes, declared Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water as Institutes of National Importance under a Resources. distinct Act of Parliament. These INIs include ▪ The campaign to provide potable piped water 23 IITs; 15 AIIMSs; 20 IIMs; 31 NITs; 25 IIITs; supply for drinking and cooking purposes and 7 IISERs, 7 NIPERs; 5 NIDs; 3 SPAs; 5 central tap water for washing hands and in toilets in universities; 4 medical research institutes and every school, anganwadi and ashramshala 14 other specialized institutes. or residential tribal school was launched on India Science Research Fellowship October 2, Gandhi Jayanti. (ISRF) 2021 ▪ Forty scholars from six countries have been States with 100% tap-water awarded with Indian Science Research coverage Fellowship (ISRF) 2021. State ▪ These scholars have been selected on the Andhra Pradesh basis of their research proposal, experience, Goa academic merit and publication record. Tamil Nadu Indian Science Research Fellowship Haryana ▪ The Indian Science Research Fellowship is a platform to establish research cooperation and S&T partnerships with neighbouring countries Punjab of India. ▪ The initiative was launched by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in 2015 for Least coverage Afghanistan, Bangladesh, , Maldives, State % of schools with Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand. tap water supply Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

SCI vessel makes history Uttar Pradesh 7.93 ▪ This is the first time in the world maritime West Bengal 10.89 history that a ship is being sailed by all women Jharkhand 12.99 officers. 48 www.vetriias.com NATIONAL – DIARY OF EVENT | 49

India’s first ‘Transgender Community ▪ NHRC has celebrated its Silver Jubilee (25 Desk’ opens in Telangana years) on October 12, 2018. Its headquarter is ▪ The Cyberabad Police has launched India’s located in New Delhi. first-ever Transgender Community Desk’ at ▪ It was established in conformity with the Paris the Gachibowli Police Station in Hyderabad, Principles, adopted for the promotion and Telangana. This desk is the first-of-its- protection of human rights in Paris (October, kind gender-inclusive community policing 1991) and endorsed by the General Assembly initiatives in the country. of the United Nations on 20 December, 1993. ▪ The desk was formally inaugurated by ▪ Tamilnadu human rights commission was Cyberabad Police chief VC Sajjanar in a created in 1997. ceremony that was attended by over 200 transgender people. Cyber volunteer programme rolled out for ‘cyber hygiene promotion ▪ It will also be the focal point for all grievance ▪ The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) redressal among the transgender community informed the Lok Sabha that a “cyber

in Cyberabad Commissionerate. IAS Study Circle Vetrii volunteer” programme has been rolled out for

Note “cyber hygiene promotion” and the services ▪ In 2014, the Supreme Court of India, in of volunteers would be utilised by the State the case of the National Legal Services police as per requirement. Authority versus Union of India, established ▪ The MHA is a cybercrime grievance portal- the foundation for the rights of transgender cybercrime.gov.in, aims to raise a group of persons in India by recognising ‘transgender’ “cybercrime volunteers” to flag unlawful as a ‘third gender’ and laying down several content on the Internet. Various groups, measures for prohibition of discrimination including the Internet Freedom Foundation against transgender persons and protection of (IFF), have expressed concern that the their rights. programme enables a culture of surveillance Acts and could create potential social distrust by ▪ Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) encouraging civilians to report the online Rules, 2020 activities of other citizens. ▪ The Central Government made the rules under ▪ The government had approved the setting up the powers conferred by the Transgender of 1,023 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs), Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019. including 389 exclusive POCSO Courts, for ▪ The Act came into effect on 10th January expeditious trial and disposal of cases related 2020, which is the first concrete step towards to rape and the Protection of Children from ensuring welfare of transgender persons. Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. ‘Shop-and-donate’ platform launched Uttarakhand’s Ranikhet gets India’s ▪ Sethu Foundation launched an first Forest Healing Centre e-merchandising programme “Kalpavrisksha: ▪ The first-of-its-kind ‘Forest Healing Centre’ shop and donate” which will have products of India has been inaugurated at Kalika near cultivated and handcrafted by women. Ranikhet in Uttarakhand. ▪ The first product we will have on our web ▪ The unique centre is based on the concept of platform for purchase is Lakadong Turmeric making people healthy by bringing them into from Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya. direct contact with nature. National Human Rights Council ▪ Spread over an area of around 13 acres, Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii the centre has been established in a pine-

▪ NHRC of India is an independent statutory body established on 12 October, 1993 as per dominated forest, by the research wing provisions of Protection of Human Rights Act, of Uttarakhand Forest Department after a 1993, later amended in 2006. detailed study of the revitalising impact of www.vetriias.com 49 50 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

forests on human health. with an installed capacity of 447 MW in the southern region and the entire capacity will be PM Narendra Modi inaugurates ‘Maitri commissioned by March 2023. Setu’ between India and Bangladesh ▪ Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi PM shops from Tribes India inaugurated ‘Maitri Setu’ bridge between ▪ Minister Narendra Modi choose to buy India and Bangladesh through a video products made by tribal women and self-help conference on March 09, 2021 to strengthen groups to mark International Women's Day, the connectivity between both the countries, the Tribes India portal saw the daily average and especially with the north-eastern region visitor count of 2,200 shoots up to over 30,000 of India. and orders worth almost Rs 1.50 lakh received. ▪ The Maitri Setu bridge has been built on ▪ A long way from Midnapore, 25-year-old the Feni river, which lies between Indian Monisha Toda is based in Ooty where she boundary in Tripura and Bangladesh. makes the embroidered Toda shawls unique ▪ The 1.9 Kilometres long bridge will connect to the Toda tribals of the Nilgiri hills in Tamil Sabroom in India with Ramgarh in Bangladesh. IAS Study Circle Vetrii Nadu.

▪ The bridge has been constructed by the ▪ The painting was made by Sarita Dhurvi from National Highways and Infrastructure Dindori district, Samnapur Tehsil, Madhya Development Corporation Limited at a project Pradesh. Through the vibrant, earthy colours, cost of around Rs. 133 Crore. she depicted the creation of nature. The gond tribal art, practised by the Gond tribe in ▪ Maitri bridge will also make Tripura as Madhya Pradesh. the ‘Gateway of North East’ with access to Chittagong Port of Bangladesh, which is just Parliament passes Arbitration and 80 km from Sabroom. Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 World's Best Hospitals 2021 ▪ Parliament approved a Bill to amend the ▪ This is the third year that Newsweek has arbitration law. partnered with Statista Inc, the respected ▪ The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) global data research firm, to reveal the World's Bill, 2021 was passed through voice vote in the Best Hospitals. Rajya Sabha. ▪ The 2,000 hospitals named in this list which ▪ The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on covers 25 countries, including United States, February 12, 2021. United Kingdom, Germany and Canada stand ▪ The bill will replace an ordinance issued on out for their consistent excellence, including November 4, 2020. The bill seeks to ensure that distinguished physicians, top-notch nursing all stakeholders get an opportunity to seek care and state of the art technology. unconditional stay on enforcement of arbitral ▪ 11 hospitals has been selected as the best awards where the agreement or contract is hospitals in all over India. In that, Kanchi "induced by fraud or corruption". Kamakoti Child Trust Hospital placed the best India’s first World Skill Centre at in Tamil Nadu. Bhubaneswar Floating solar power plant ▪ Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik inaugurated ▪ The country’s biggest floating solar power India’s first World Skill Centre at Mancheswar plant by generation capacity, which is being Industrial Area on the birth anniversary of developed by the NTPC in the reservoir of its legendary Biju Patnaik.

thermal plant at Ramagundam in Peddapalli IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ The World Skill Centre, an 18 storey building

district, Telangana. is aimed to make Odisha the global capital ▪ This will be one of the renewable (solar) of trained manpower and is dedicated to energy plants being developed by the NTPC different skills and trades.

50 www.vetriias.com NATIONAL – DIARY OF EVENT | 51

Self-reliant India is good for world’ ▪ The eight-day festival includes international ▪ Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that seminar, a global exhibition and business meet a “self-reliant India was in the interest of the and will feature lectures by 35 internationally world” as he expounded the core beliefs in the renowned scientists and over 150 Indian Bhagavad Gita. scientists. ▪ He is releasing the ‘Kindle’ version of Swami Chidbhavananda’s book on the subject. ▪ The launch of the National AYUSH Mission ▪ The beauty of the Gita was in its depth, of India shows the importance given to diversity and flexibility, he pointed out. He . It strengthens Ayurvedic treatment quoted a peer reviewed journal of cardiology and education. The World Health Organization published by the University of Oxford that (WHO) has announced the launch of a global talks at length about the relevance of Gita center for traditional medicine in India. during the time of the pandemic. ▪ The Prime Minister said that our policy on Praises Tamil diaspora Ayurveda is in line with the World Health ▪ He praised the Tamil diaspora for scaling new IAS Study Circle Vetrii heights in many sectors and yet carrying the Organizaiton’s traditional treatments for 2014- greatness of its culture. 2023. Govt launches 'Mera Ration' app India ranks 5th in the Fastest Growing ▪ To facilitate the 'One Nation-One Ration Card' Countries 2021 system in the country, the government Friday ▪ According to the List of PwCs (Price launched 'Mera Ration' mobile app to benefit Waterhouse and Coopers) Report 2021, India citizens in identifying the nearest fair price ranks 5th in the fastest growing countries. shop. This app will benefit especially those ▪ After Brexit agreement, England ranks 4th, ration card holders who move to new areas for Japan Ranks 6th and Australia Ranks 7th. livelihoods. India’s first centralised AC railway ▪ The app is developed by the government in terminal in Bengaluru association with NIC "to facilitate various ▪ India’s first centralised air-conditioned ONORC related services among National Food (AC) railway terminal has been built at Security Act (NFSA) beneficiaries, particularly Baiyappanahalli in Bengaluru. migrant beneficiaries, FPS dealers and other relevant stakeholders. ▪ Named after ‘Bharat Ratna Sir M Visvesvaraya’ one of the foremost civil engineers, the AC ▪ The ONORC, system which was started railway terminal. initially in 4 States in August 2019, has been swiftly rolled out in a very short span of time ▪ It has been built at an estimated cost of Rs 314 in 32 States/UTs by December 2020 and the crore. integration of remaining 4 States/UT (Assam, ▪ The Byappanahalli terminal is the third coach Chhattisgarh, Delhi and West Bengal) is terminal named after Bharat Ratna Sir M expected to be completed in next few months. Visvesvaraya, sanctioned in 2015-16. ▪ The system covers nearly 69 Crore NFSA ▪ The Centre will allow residents to fill the beneficiaries (about 86% NFSA population) in National Population Register (NPR) form on the country and a monthly average of about their own, through the online mode, a month 1.5-1.6 Crore portability transactions are being before the door-to-door enumeration by recorded under ONORC. Census officials starts. ▪ The National Population Register (NPR) PM to inaugurate 4th Global Ayurveda IAS Study Circle Vetrii

updation exercise will be undertaken alongside Festival Census 2021.It will be conducted by the Office ▪ The festival will culminate on March 19. of the Registrar General of India (RGI) under

www.vetriias.com 51 52 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

the Home Ministry. Only Assam will not Minister Narendra Modi on October 31, 2018. be included, given the recently completed World’s highest rail bridge in Jammu National Register of Citizens (NRC). and Kashmir National Population Register ▪ The world’s highest rail bridge over the ▪ It is a list of “usual residents of the country”. Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir is in the ▪ A “usual resident of the country” is one who last stages of construction. has been residing in a local area for at least ▪ The 476 metre-long steel arch, which is set to the last six months, or intends to stay in a be the "world's highest" railway bridge in the particular location for the next six months. Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir. Legal Provisions: ▪ The rail line is expected to be 35 metres taller ▪ The NPR is being prepared under provisions than the Eiffel Tower. of the Citizenship Act 1955 and the Citizenship ▪ The `1,250-crore bridge will be 359 metres (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National above the Chenab river bed Identity Cards) Rules, 2003.

Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ The overall length of the bridge is 1,315 metres. ▪ It is mandatory for every “usual resident of

India” to register in the NPR. ▪ Construction of the first three phases of the project has been completed and the line is in Background: operational use for running of trains between ▪ The data for the NPR was first collected in Baramulla-Banihal in Kashmir valley and 2010 along with the house listing phase of Jammu-Udhampur-Katra in Jammu region. Census 2011. ▪ Three agencies; IRCON, KRCL and Northern ▪ In 2015, this data was further updated by Railway with extensive experience in the conducting a door-to-door survey. construction of rail lines are involved in this ▪ With the use of Aadhaar as the key vehicle for project. transfer of government benefits in the last few years, the NPR has taken a backseat. WCD Ministry plans to merge all women helplines President attends tribal congregation ▪ The Women and Child Development (WCD) ‘Vanvasi Samagam’ in Sonbhadra (UP) Ministry stated that it is looking to merge all ▪ President Ramnath Kovind addressed the women helplines in the country. tribal congregation Vanvasi Samagam in ▪ Women and Child Development Minister Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh. held a meeting with top 100 ▪ The President visited Chapki area in Babhani districts with the highest crimes against Block of Sonbhadra district where he attended women and children and 112 aspirational the Vanvasi Samagam as Chief guest and districts and decided that the twin women's inaugurated the newly constructed building helplines 112 (emergency) and 181 (non- of Seva Kunj Ashram. emergency) be merged for better response. Statue of Unity crosses 50 lakh visitors ▪ About 54 lakh women were assisted through ▪ The 'Statue of Unity' at Kevadia in Gujarat's women helplines across the country. Narmada district has crossed the mark of 50 ▪ Women will be able to dial both helplines but lakh visitors since its inauguration in 2018\. both will be integrated to improve response The statue has emerged as an international time. Likewise, child helpline 1098 would see tourist destination, offering multiple the first interface with a government system. attractions for all age groups. World Air Quality Report 2020 ▪ The 182-metre tall statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ New Delhi has been adjudged as the world’s

Patel, billed as the world's tallest and built on most polluted capital city for the third straight the Sadhu Bet islet near the Sardar Sarovar year in the 2020 World Air Quality Report by Dam in Kevadia, was inaugurated by Prime Swiss organisation, IQAir.

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▪ Globally, New Delhi is ranked as the 10th most level and anganwadi workers in maintaining polluted city in the world. and monitoring quality of take-home ration ▪ The top most polluted city of the world is and supplementary nutrition distributed at Xinjiang in China. anganwadis. ▪ This is followed by nine Indian cities as FSSAI most polluted cities in the world, which are ▪ Food Safety and Standards Authority of Ghaziabad, Bulandshahar, Bisrakh Jalalpur, India (FSSAI) is an autonomous statutory Noida, Greater Noida, , Lucknow and body established under the Food Safety and Bhiwari. Standards Act, 2006 (FSS Act). IQ Air report ▪ Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, ▪ The IQAir report measures air quality levels Government of India is the administrative based on the concentration of lung-damaging Ministry of FSSAI. airborne particles known as PM 2.5, which ▪ Headquarters: Delhi. is measured by ground-based monitoring Mission POSHAN stations. IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ The programme seeks to improve nutritional

▪ As per the report, India was home to 35 of outcomes for children, pregnant women and the world’s 50 most polluted cities, spanning lactating mothers. 106 countries, which means India continues ▪ Launched in 2018 with specific targets to be to feature prominently at the top of the most achieved by 2022. polluted cities ranking. It aims to reduce: India has gained reputation of first, ▪ Stunting and wasting by 2% a year (total 6% reliable responder: Jaishankar until 2022) among children. ▪ External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar ▪ Anaemia by 3% a year (total 9%) among announced that India had developed a children, adolescent girls and pregnant reputation of being the first and reliable women and lactating mothers. responder in the region, stating that the ▪ The target of the mission is to bring down country had provided “Made in India” stunting among children in the age group 0-6 vaccines for COVID-19 to 72 countries. years from 38.4% to 25% by 2022. ▪ Medicines have been supplied to 150 nations, The Federation of Indian Export 82 of them as grants. Organisations (FIEO) Make in India ▪ The Federation of Indian Export Organisations ▪ Make in India is a Government of India represents the Indian entrepreneurs spirit of scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra enterprise in the global market. It was set up Modi in 2014 intended to boost the domestic in 1965. manufacturing sector and also augment ▪ It is an Apex body of the export promotion investment into the country. councils, community boards and development Plan to test anganwadi food by FSSAI authorities in India. ▪ The Mission POSHAN 2.0 provides for testing ▪ It provides the crucial interface between of meals and food packets distributed at international trading community of India & anganwadis for nutritional standards and the Central and State Governments, financial quality by FSSAI labs. institutions, ports, railways and all engaged in ▪ The Ministry of Women and Child export trade facilitation. Development, which is the nodal Ministry for

Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii ChildLine under Ministry of Home

implementing the Mission POSHAN, will also Affairs partner with the Panchayati Raj Ministry so that ▪ The proposal to shift Childline 1098, the FSSAI and the National Institute of Nutrition national helpline for children, from the can train Panchayati Raj functionaries at village www.vetriias.com 53 54 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

administrative control of the Ministry of safety and dignity of women. Women and Child Development (WCD) to ▪ Ministry of Women and Child Development Ministry of Home Affairs, has drawn flak from apart from several other concerned ministries child rights activists in Tamil Nadu. were authorised to work out details of ▪ ChildLine 1098 is an initiative for rescuing and structure, scope and application of this fund. assisting children in distress. It is operated by ▪ The Fund is administered by Department of the ChildLine India Foundation, which is a Economic Affairs of the finance ministry. nodal agency of the Ministry of WCD. Global Hunger Index Poshan Pakhwada Being Celebrated ▪ The Global Hunger Index (GHI) report, which from 16th to 31st March has placed India at 94th (out of 107 countries) ▪ The Ministry of Women and Child rank in 2020. Development is celebrating the Poshan ▪ India’s ranking had improved from 102 in Pakhwada from March 16 to March 31, 2021. 2019 to 94 in 2020. ▪ The Department of Women & Child Development or the Social Welfare Department IAS Study Circle Vetrii About Global Hunger Index:

will be the nodal department to look after the ▪ Annual Report: Jointly published by Concern Poshan Pakhwada across the states and Union Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe. Territories. ▪ It was first produced in 2006. It is published Poshan Pakhwada 2021 every October. The 2020 edition marks the 15th edition of the GHI. ▪ The key focus areas of the Pakhwada are to address the nutritional challenges using the Government ropes in 12 institutions Food Forestry and to organize the Poshan to evaluate impact of National Food Panchayats. Security Act ▪ Under it, the National Medicinal Plants ▪ The government informed Parliament that Board (NMPB) working under the Ministry it has roped in 12 monitoring institutions for of AYUSH, will distribute 4 samplings of 2020-23 to assess the impact of the National the nutritional rich plants to each of the Food Security Act (NFSA). Anganwadi Centers. ▪ Minister of State for Food Danve Raosaheb Poshan Abhiyaan Dadarao announced that During 2018-20, about ▪ The Poshan Abhiyaan was launched on March 26 institutions and universities were engaged 8, 2018 by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra as monitoring institutions for conducting the Modi. evaluation of the implementation of the NFSA in states and Union Territories. Nirbhaya Fund ▪ Government of India has legislated various ▪ The NFSA, passed in 2013, provides for the child centric Acts such as the Commissions for supply of subsidised foodgrains through Protection of Child Rights Act (CPCR) 2005, ration shops up to 75 per cent of the rural Protection of Children from Sexual Offences population and up to 50 per cent of the urban (POCSO) Act, 2012 and the Juvenile Justice population, which as per Census 2011, comes (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 to a maximum of 81.35 crore persons. (JJ Act) for protection and promotion of child Woman swims from Talaimannar to rights. Arichalmunai About Nirbhaya fund: ▪ 47-year-old Hyderabad-based woman named ▪ The Rs 1,000 crore Nirbhaya Fund was Shyamala Goli became the world’s second Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

announced in Union Budget 2013 by the then female to swim across the 30-mile long Palk Finance Minister P Chidambaram. Strait between India and Sri Lanka. ▪ The corpus was to be utilised for upholding ▪ She swam for 13 hours and 43 minutes

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from Talaimannar in northern Sri Lanka to the zone with maximum protection. Dhanushkodi in India to create the record. ▪ “Zero extent” Ecologically Sensitive Zone NITI Aayog (ESZ) for the Galathea NP to allow use of land in the south-eastern and south-western part of ▪ NITI Aayog (National Institution for the island for the NITI Aayog plan. Transforming India) ▪ The October 2020 draft notification for this ▪ Planning has been in Indian psyche as our zero extent ESZ had ironically listed out in leaders came under influence of the socialist great detail the park’s ecological uniqueness clime of erstwhile USSR. Planning commission that it is part of a UNESCO World Heritage served as the planning vehicle for close to six Site, houses a range of forest types, has one of decades with a focus on control and command the best-preserved tropical rainforests in the approach. world. ▪ Planning Commission was replaced by a new institution – NITI Aayyog on January 1, 2015 Ken-Betwa: First River Linking project with emphasis on ‘Bottom –Up’ approach to envisage the vision of Maximum Governance, IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ The interlinking of the rivers will destroy the

Minimum Government, echoing the spirit of Panna Tiger Reserve located in the state of ‘Cooperative Federalism’. Madhya Pradesh. Administrative Skeltal Ken Betwa River Linking Project ▪ Chairperson: Prime Minister ▪ The River interlinking project aims to divert ▪ Vice-Chairperson: To be appointed by Prime- the surplus water from Ken river in Madhya Minister Pradesh to Betwa river in Uttar Pradesh. This ▪ Governing Council: Chief Ministers of all is being done with the objective of irrigating states and Lt. Governors of Union Territories. the drought-prone Bundelkhand region across the districts of Jhansi, Lalitpur, Banda ▪ Regional Council: To address specific regional & Mahoba districts in UP and Tikamgarh, issues, Comprising Chief Ministers and Lt. Chhatarpur & Panna districts in MP. This Governors Chaired by Prime Minister or his project is one among the 30 rivers interlinking nominee. projects across the country. ▪ Adhoc Membership: 2 members in ex-officio capacity from leading Research institutions on PM Modi launches ‘Catch the Rain’ rotational basis. campaign to be funded by MGNREGA ▪ Ex-Officio membership: Maximum four from ▪ Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched Union council of ministers to be nominated by ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain’ campaign Prime minister. on the occasion of World Water Day for conserving water. Galathea Bay National Park ▪ PM urged that every penny of MGNREGA ▪ Galathea National Park is a National Park (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment located in the Union Territory of Andaman Guarantee Act) funds be spent on rain water and Nicobar Islands. It is located on the island conservation till the monsoon arrives. of Great Nicobar in the Nicobar Islands. ▪ The ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign will be ▪ Meeting on January 5, 2021, the Standing implemented across the country, in both rural Committee of the National Board for Wildlife and urban areas from March 22 to November (NBWL) denotified the entire Galathea Bay 30, 2021 (the pre-monsoon and monsoon Wildlife Sanctuary to allow for the port there. period in the country).

▪ Galathea Bay as one of the ‘Important Coastal IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ The main aim of the campaign is to take and Marine Biodiversity Areas’ and ‘Important water conservation at grass-root level through Marine Turtle Habitats’ in the country. It is people’s participation and urge stakeholders included in Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ)-I, to create rainwater harvesting structures

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suitable to the climatic conditions and subsoil National Bank for Financing strata, to ensure proper storage of rainwater. Infrastructure and Development MGNREGA ▪ The National Bank for Financing Infrastructure ▪ Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee and Development Bill-2021 was passed by the Act 2005 (or, NREGA No 42, later renamed Rajya Sabha, is aimed at providing long-term as the "Mahatma Gandhi National Rural funding to infrastructure projects including Employment Guarantee Act" or MGNREGA), in transport, energy, water, sanitation, is an Indian labour law and social security telecommunication education sector. The Lok measure that aims to guarantee the 'right to Sabha had passed the Bill. work'. ▪ The Act (bill) gives space to private institutions ▪ This act was passed in September 2005 under to come up for which we give tax benefits the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. for first five years and for this institution ▪ Uttar Pradesh has become the top state in the (NaBFID), we are giving tax benefits for 10 country to provide employment to the workers years.

under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ About 7,000 projects have been identified Employment Guarantee Scheme MGNREGA. under the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) with a projected investment of Rs 111 Bihar becomes first state to have lakh crore during 2020-25. Ethanol Promotion Policy ▪ NIP, a first-of-its-kind initiative to provide ▪ Bihar has become the first state of the country world-class infrastructure across the country to have its own ethanol policy called Ethanol and improve the quality of life for all citizens, Production Promotion Policy, 2021. will be crucial for attaining the target of ▪ The Policy was approved by the Central becoming a USD 5 trillion economy by government in December 2020 in consonance Financial Year 2025. with National Policy of Biofuels, 2018 and subsequently by National Biofuel Co- West Bengal tops in Facebook political ordination Committee. ad ▪ The ethanol promotion policy would pave ▪ Among the four states and one union territory the way for making Bihar an ethanol hub and that are going to polls from March 27, West investors’ coveted destination. Bengal emerged as the topper in spending ▪ The policy would allow investors to directly for political advertisements on Facebook this make ethanol from maize, molasses, broken year, according to data available with the rice and rotten grains, which was restricted to social media platform. sugarcane. ▪ Besides West Bengal, assembly elections will be held in three other states Assam, Kerala Andhra to launch India’s First Govt Run and Tamil Nadu and in the union territory of Animal Ambulance Network Puducherry. ▪ The state government of the Andhra Pradesh has decided to set up “India’s first government- ▪ During the period, political parties of West run ambulance network” for animals. Bengal spent about Rs 3.74 crore on poll- related campaigns which fall under Facebook's Asia’s largest Tulip Garden advertisement category of 'social issues, ▪ Asia's largest tulip garden, situated on the election or politics'. banks of the Dal Lake, Jammu and Kashmir is ▪ West Bengal is followed by Tamil Nadu (Rs 3.3 all set to be thrown open for the visitors. crore), Assam (Rs 61.77 lakh), Kerala (Rs 38.86 ▪ Tulip garden, located at the foothills of IAS Study Circle Vetrii lakh) and Puducherry (Rs 3.34 lakh) during

Zabarwan range in Jammu and Kashmir. the period, as per the data. Parliament passes Bill to set up Vizag gets mobile water and Water

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Knowledge Centre fundamental right in the Indian constitution ▪ The Hyderabad-based startup, Maithri ‘freedom of speech’. Since RTI is implicit in the Aquatech has set up the world’s first mobile Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression water-from-air kiosk and ‘Water Knowledge under Article 19 of the Indian Constitution, it Centre’ in the smart city of Visakhapatnam. is an implied fundamental right. ▪ This initiative is supported by Greater 7th annual summit of NATHEALTH Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation ▪ Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, (GVMC) and project SEWAH (Sustainable Dr Harsh Vardhan, addressed the 7th annual Enterprises for Water and Health) an alliance summit of NATHEALTH in virtual mode on between USAID and SWN (Safe Water March 26, 2021. Network). ▪ The summit focused on ‘Indian Health system ▪ The kiosk will provide clean potable water from expansion in post-COVID era’. the air by making use of Maithri Aquatech’s ▪ The summit the minister reiterated the Meghdoot solution as a source to generate commitments of government for fulfilling goal water with no dependency on groundwater as IAS Study Circle Vetrii of Health for all. He noted that, “Health for

well as surface water resources. All” is a top priority for current Government ▪ The kiosk will also function as a Water and to institutionalize the approach towards Knowledge Resource Centre (WRKC) this goal, government has launched the by creating awareness and imparting “National Health Policy” in 2017. The primary necessary information to members of the vision of policy-framework is to attain highest local underserved communities as well as possible level of health and well-being for all nearby schools on the benefits of good water, irrespective of all age groups. sanitation and hygiene (WASH) practices. ▪ Government also launched Ayushman Bharat National Company Law Appellate program with the objective of providing Tribunal (NCLAT) Universal Free Access to primary health care, ▪ It was Constituted under Companies Act, promoting health and wellbeing. 2013. Pradhan Mantri Atma Nirbhar Swasthya Functions: Yojana ▪ It hears appeals against the orders of: ▪ This scheme was launched with the aim of strengthening health systems to meet ▪ NCLT under Section 61 of the Insolvency and challenges of covid-19 pandemic and future Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC). pandemics. It also seeks to strengthen the ▪ Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India expanding & building robust IT enabled under Section 202 and Section 211 of IBC. surveillance systems in order to track and ▪ The Competition Commission of India (CCI). contain spread of diseases. Composition: Cargo traffic at 12 major ports falls for ▪ The President of the Tribunal and the 11th month chairperson and Judicial Members of the ▪ India has 12 major ports under the control of Appellate Tribunal shall be appointed after the central government - Deendayal (erstwhile consultation with the Chief Justice of India. Kandla), Mumbai, JNPT, Mormugao, New Right to Information Act Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Kamarajar About the RTI Act, 2005: (earlier Ennore), V. O. Chidambaranar, ▪ It sets out the rules and procedures regarding Visakhapatnam, Paradip and Kolkata

citizens’ right to information. IAS Study Circle Vetrii (including Haldia). ▪ It replaced the former Freedom of Information ▪ Cargo handling at Kamrajar Port (Ennore) Act, 2002. nosedived 23.29 per cent during April- ▪ This act was enacted in order to consolidate the February to 22.23 MT.

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BIS licence is must for packaged households with tap water supply. drinking water companies Jal Jeevan Mission ▪ The Food Safety and Standards Authority of ▪ Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) envisages supply of 55 India (FSSAI) announced that from April 1, litres of water per person per day to every rural the BIS licence will become a “pre-condition” household through Functional Household Tap for manufacturers of packaged drinking water Connections (FHTC) by 2024. and mineral water to obtain or renew the ▪ JJM focuses on integrated demand and supply- FSSAI licence. side management of water at the local level. ▪ According to the regulations, manufacturers need to display both the FSSAI licence number Protection of Children from Sexual as well as the BIS Certification mark on their Offences Act, 2012 labels. ▪ It was enacted to protect the children from ▪ Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment Restriction on Sales) Regulations 2011 state and pornography with due regard for safeguarding the interest and well-being of that no person should manufacture, sell or IAS Study Circle Vetrii

exhibit for sale, packaged drinking water and children. mineral water except under the Bureau of ▪ It defines a child as any person below eighteen Indian Standards (BIS) certification mark. years of age and regards the best interests and welfare of the child as a matter of paramount Pong Dam Wildlife Sanctuary importance at every stage, to ensure the ▪ Over a lakh migratory water birds arrived healthy physical, emotional, intellectual and at the Pong Dam Lake Wildlife Sanctuary in social development of the child. Himachal Pradesh in winter 2020-21. ▪ Location: Kangra District, Himachal Pradesh. Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 ▪ In 1994, the Government of India declared it a ▪ It was enacted to protect the children from “Wetland of National Importance”. offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment ▪ Pong Dam Lake was declared as Ramsar Site and pornography with due regard for in November 2002. safeguarding the interest and well-being of Over 4 crore rural households provided children. with tap water supply under Jal Jeevan ▪ It defines a child as any person below eighteen Mission years of age and regards the best interests and ▪ Over 4 crore rural households in the country welfare of the child as a matter of paramount have been provided with tap water supply importance at every stage, to ensure the since the Jal Jeevan Mission was launched in healthy physical, emotional, intellectual and August 2019, the Jal Shakti Ministry. social development of the child. ▪ 7.24 crore households (38 per cent), that is, Government approves issuance of more than one-third of the rural households electoral bonds from April 1-10 are getting potable water through taps. ▪ Amidst assembly elections in four states and ▪ Goa has become the first state in the country a Union territory, the government approved to provide 100 per cent tap water supply issuance of the 16th tranche of electoral bonds followed by Telangana and Andaman and which will be open for sale from April 1 to Nicobar Islands. 10. Electoral bonds have been pitched as an ▪ Announced by Prime Minister Narendra alternative to cash donations made to political parties as part of efforts to bring transparency Modi on August 15, 2019, with the aim to IAS Study Circle Vetrii

provide tap water supply to every rural home in political funding. However, Opposition by 2024, the Jal Jeevan Mission has reached a parties have been raising concerns about new milestone of providing over 4 crore rural alleged opaqueness in funding through such

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bonds. ▪ The 29 specified SBI branches are in cities such as Kolkata, Guwahati, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Patna, New Delhi, Chandigarh, Shimla, Srinagar, Dehradun, Gandhinagar, Bhopal, Raipur, Mumbai, and Lucknow. The sale of the first batch of electoral bonds took place from March 1-10, 2018. Electoral Bond ▪ Electoral Bond is a financial instrument for making donations to political parties. ▪ The bonds are issued in multiples of Rs. 1,000, Rs. 10,000, Rs. 1 lakh, Rs. 10 lakh and Rs. 1 crore without any maximum limit.

▪ State Bank of India is authorised to issue and IAS Study Circle Vetrii encash these bonds, which are valid for fifteen days from the date of issuance. ▪ These bonds are redeemable in the designated account of a registered political party. ▪ The bonds are available for purchase by any person (who is a citizen of India or incorporated or established in India) for a period of ten days each in the months of January, April, July and October as may be specified by the Central Government. 'Heart of Asia' conference ▪ External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived in Tajikistan's capital to attend a key conference on Afghanistan, where representatives from around 50 countries and international organisations would discuss building regional consensus around the peace process in the war-torn country. ▪ The 9th Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process (HoA-IP) ministerial conference is part of the Istanbul Process - a regional initiative on security and cooperation for a stable and peaceful Afghanistan - that was launched on November 2, 2011 in Turkey. ▪ The development comes in the backdrop of understanding the resumption of the 2003 ceasefire between Pakistan and India, reached at the end of February and the meeting held on

Indus water sharing after a gap of two years. IAS Study Circle Vetrii

www.vetriias.com 59 ▪ ▪ VirtualSummit2021 India-Sweden ▪ ▪ ▪ Renewable EnergyMoUwithFrance ▪ ▪ ▪ Chinese cyberattack countries. discuss the bilateralrelations betweenthetwo views onregional andglobalissues and to The virtual summit was organised to exchange Prime MinisterofSweden, StefanLofven. in thevirtualIndia-Sweden summitwiththe Prime MinisterNarendra Modi participated installed RenewableEnergycapacityby2030. of 450GWof the ambitioustarget of attaining of field the aid theprocess Renewable Energyandthereby in know-how technological of This MoU will helpinthedevelopment hydrogen andbiomassenergy. It coverstechnologiesrelatingtosolar,wind, energy cooperation. India and Franceonrenewable between Memorandum ofUnderstanding(MoU) ex-post factoapprovaltothesigningofa on Wednesdaygave The UnionCabinet Shadow Pad. threat byRedEchothroughamalwarecalled the 2021about February, a maildated12th NCIIPC informed[PowerMinistry]through 2020. malware called“ShadowPad” in November (India) (CERT-in)aboutthethreatfrom (MeitY’s) Cyber Emergency Response Team Mumbai of Electronics and InformationTechnology’s the for outage, theyhad been warned by theMinistry responsible as identified Chinese group“RedEcho”,whichhasbeen Centres (SLDCs). (RLDCs) along withStateLoad Dispatch sector’s RegionalLoadDispatchCentres known as Red Echo Indian is Power targeting Actor group Chinese state-sponsoredthreat 7. INTERNATIONAL ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ United Nations ▪ ▪ ▪ UN report Vetrii▪ Czech envoycallsonPrince ofArcot IAS Study Circle leaders since2015. two the between interaction fifth the was This UN Secretariat. International CourtofJustice Economic andSocialCouncil(ECOSOC) United NationsSecurityCouncil(UNSC) General Assembly principal organs: five around structured is UN The made upof193MemberStates. organization founded in 1945. It is currently The UnitedNations(UN)isaninternational pollution byreducingfoodwaste. greenhouse gasemissionsandcanreduce Program, foodwasteisamajorcauseof According to theUnitedNationsEnvironment wasted. Overall, 17percentoftheworld’s food is consumes 64 kgoffoodperpersonyear. 59 kg of food per person per yearand China of foodperyear.TheUnitedStatesconsumes estimated thatanindividualconsumes 50 kg tonnes Food is wasted on a scale. In India, it is 2019 inIndian homes in thatcategory6.80crore percent fromretail. homes, 26 percentfrom restaurants and13 2019. Ofthese,61percentwerewastedfrom 9.31 croretonnesoffoodwastedin Globally, food wastecalledtheFoodWasteCode2021. The UnitedNationshasreleasedastudyon Mohammed Abdul AliinAmirMahal. courtesy callonthePrince ofArcotNawab to IndiainDelhi,Milan Hovorka, made a Czech Republic The Ambassadorofthe AFFAIRS INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS | 61

▪ The Ambassador was keen to promote India in the index education in India, particularly joint venture ▪ India has been placed at 121 position in the programmes with the leading educational index, with a score of 56.5 out of 100. India is institutions in Tamil Nadu. put under “Mostly Unfree category” Czech Republic ▪ Among Asia-Pacific countries, India ranks 26 ▪ President: Miloš Zeman out of 40 countries. ▪ Prime Minister: Andrej Babiš China and Russia Inks MoU to jointly ▪ Capital: Prague build Lunar Space Station ▪ Currency: Czech Koruna ▪ The space agencies of China and Russia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding India stands out in terms of vaccine (MoU) on behalf of their national governments, policy to jointly construct a lunar space station that ▪ India has been at the forefront in fighting will be open to all countries. the coronavirus pandemic announced by ▪ Dubbed as the “International Scientific Lunar

Chief Economist of the IMF Gita Gopinath IAS Study Circle Vetrii Station (ISLS)”, the centre will be a “complex announced as she hailed the country for of experimental and research facilities” created playing a very important role during the crisis on the moon’s surface and/or in orbit of the by manufacturing and shipping the COVID-19 moon. vaccines to several nations. ▪ The goal of setting up ISLS is strengthening IMF research cooperation and promoting the ▪ The formation of the IMF was initiated in 1944 exploration and use of outer space for peaceful at the Bretton Woods Conference. purposes in the interests of all mankind. ▪ IMF came into operation on 27th December ▪ The MoU was officially signed between the 1945 and is today an international organization Chinese space agency, China National Space that consists of 189 member countries. Administration (CNSA) and the Russian space Headquartered in Washington, D.C., agency Roscosmos, on March 09, 2021. ▪ IMF focuses on fostering global monetary cooperation, securing financial stability, First Quad summit facilitating and promoting international trade, ▪ As the US, India, Australia and Japan are set to employment, and economic growth around hold their first Leaders' Summit of Quad. the world. The IMF is a specialized agency of ▪ The four countries will do things that are the United Nations. "conducive" to regional peace and stability instead of the "opposite". Singapore Tops Economic Freedom ▪ Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Index 2021 Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott ▪ Singapore has topped the global ranking in Morrison and his Japanese counterpart the Economic Freedom Index 2021, for second Yoshihide Suga will attend the virtual summit, year in a row, published by US conservative which is the first conclave of the top leaders of think-tank, The Heritage Foundation the Quadrilateral alliance. ▪ The overall score of Singapore increased by 0.3 About Quad: points to 89.7 in this edition, primarily due to an improvement in the score for government ▪ Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is the spending. informal strategic dialogue between India, USA, Japan and Australia with a shared ▪ The index has covered 184 countries in the objective to ensure and support a “free, open study and the period of study is July 2019 to IAS Study Circle Vetrii and prosperous” Indo-Pacific region. June 2020. ▪ The idea of Quad was first mooted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007.

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▪ In November 2017, India, the US, Australia sustainable use of renewable energy. and Japan gave shape to the long-pending ▪ It is the first international organisation to focus “Quad” Coalition to develop a new strategy to exclusively on renewable energy, addressing keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific needs in both industrialized and developing free of any influence (especially China). countries. Air bubble pact ▪ It was founded in 2009 & its statute entered ▪ External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar into force on 8 July 2010 and is headquartered announced the Rajya Sabha that the in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, UAE. government wanted to expand the “air bubble” ▪ IRENA is an official United Nations observer. arrangement with more countries, and the India –Finland Virtual Summit priority would be Saudi Arabia, Kuwait in the ▪ Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a west and Japan, China and Singapore in the virtual summit with his Finland counterpart east. Sanna Marin. ▪ Under the air bubble scheme, commercial

airlines from specific countries are allowed IAS Study Circle Vetrii Background to travel to and from India on a limited basis ▪ Capital of Finland- Helsinki an arrangement that was solely reserved ▪ President of Finland- Sauli Niinistö for the Air India under the Vande Bharat Economic Relation mission as fullscale international commercial ▪ Finland was the 60th largest trade partner of air operations are yet to resume after the India across world while it was 10th largest COVID19 restrictions were implemented last within the European Union. year. ▪ India was the 23rd largest trade partner of About Air Bubble Transport: Finland and the fifth largest within Asia. ▪ Air Bubble is the term coined during COVID-19 times. It means that airlines of both India, Portugal extends support for countries in an arrangement will be permitted UNSC membership to fly passengers both ways but alluded to the ▪ Inter-Parliamentary Union President Duarte fact that restrictions imposed by India’s home Pacheco addressed Members of Parliament ministry and the foreign countries could mean at the Central Hall and thanked India for its only those who clear these checks will be able support for Portugal's election to the IPU. to travel out or in. ▪ The Inter-Parliamentary Union formed in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest international IRENA Parliamentary body consisting of more than ▪ The COVID¬-19 crisis offers an unexpected 179 members. opportunity for countries to decouple their ▪ Pacheco, a Member of Parliament of Portugal, economies from fossil fuels and accelerate the was recently elected as the President of IPU, shift to renewable energy sources, says the an international organization of national World Energy Transitions Outlook report, parliaments, for a three-year term from 2021 brought out by the International Renewable to 2023. He is visiting India at the invitation of Energy Agency (IRENA). the Parliament of India. ▪ It estimated that by 2050, 90% of total electricity needs would be supplied by renewable, UN Security Council followed by 6% from natural gas and the ▪ The Security Council was established by the remaining from nuclear. UN Charter in 1945. It is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations.

About IRENA IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ The other 5 organs of the United Nations ▪ It is an intergovernmental organization are—the General Assembly, the Trusteeship mandated to facilitate cooperation, advance Council, the Economic and Social Council, knowledge, and promote the adoption and the International Court of Justice, and the

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Secretariat. towards a sustainable future. Nearly 1.1 ▪ Its primary responsibility is to work to billion people lack access to water, with 2.7 maintain international peace and security. billion people facing water scarcity for at least ▪ The council has 15 members: the five one month every year. permanent members and 10 non-permanent ▪ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 members elected for two-year terms. specifically addresses access to water and ▪ The council is headquartered at NewYork. sanitation. The UN General Assembly has declared 2018 to 2028, the Water Action World’s Largest Floating Solar Farms Decade, which also addresses the increased being built in Singapore global pressure on water resources, and ▪ The largest floating solar farm of the world exacerbated risk of droughts and floods. is being built in Singapore. The country has Mission resorted to set up the energy plants off the ▪ ‘The Clean India Mission’, launched in 2014 coasts and reservoirs across it. to achieve universal sanitation, became the

▪ It is one of the biggest per capita carbon IAS Study Circle Vetrii world’s biggest sanitation campaign with

dioxide emitters in India. the construction of 110 million toilets in only ▪ To cater to the issue of climate change and to six years resulting in an open-defecation free cut the greenhouse gas emission it is building India. the floating solar farm. This project is being Indo-Pacific strategic partnership built by Sembcorp Industries. ▪ US Secretary of Defence Lloyd J Austin, who Sixth India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) arrived in New Delhi met Prime Minister Women’s Forum Narendra Modi and conveyed Washington’s ▪ The Sixth India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) “strong desire” to further enhance the strategic Women’s Forum meeting was held virtually partnership for peace, stability and prosperity on March 16, 2021. in the Indo-Pacific region. ▪ The event was chaired by the Ministry of ▪ Prime Minister and National Security Advisor Women and Child Development, GoI, led by Ajit Doval also participated during the Smt Smriti Zubin Irani. discussion. ▪ The meeting witnessed participation of International Atomic Energy Agency Ministers and officials responsible for Women ▪ The IAEA was created in 1957. Affairs of IBSA Countries. ▪ It is an Independent International Organization that reports annually to the United Nation Need to build resilient systems to General Assembly. provide solutions for sustainable use of ▪ The Agency works with its Member States water: India at UN and multiple partners worldwide to promote ▪ Implementation of the Water-Related Goals safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear and Targets of the 2030 Agenda” convened technologies. by President of the General Assembly Volkan Bozkir, Minister of Jal Shakti (Department ▪ In 2005, it was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize of Drinking Water and Sanitation) Gajendra for their work for a safe and peaceful world. Singh Shekhawat said that there is no doubt ▪ Headquarter: Vienna, Austria. that in the journey to achieve the 2030 Agenda, Indian-Israeli collaboration testing oral water supply and sanitation have to be the COVID vaccine

center of the global efforts. IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ An Indian-Israeli collaboration has reportedly

▪ Water being critical to life on earth, also developed an oral vaccine for COVID-19, one plays a seminal role in the social, economic, that can be swallowed like a pill instead of and environmental evaluation of the world being injected, as is the norm. A preliminary

www.vetriias.com 63 64 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

test in animals showed that the vaccine the southern state through various projects produced the expected antibodies that confer including "Akshaya Kerala'' under the protection. "My Tuberculosis Free Kerala" scheme ▪ Premas Biotech, a Gurugram-based implemented by the state Health Department. biotechnology firm, and Oramed World’s first Ship Tunnel to be built in Pharmaceuticals, a Jerusalem headquartered Norway company, have a long-standing collaboration ▪ The Norwegian Coastal Administration has on developing new drug techniques. received the green signal to start working on ▪ The nascent COVID-19 vaccine candidate is the construction of world’s first tunnel, being a “protein-based VLP (Virus Like Particle) built exclusively for ships. vaccine candidate” that generates “triple ▪ The tunnel is dubbed as “Stad Ship Tunnel” protection” against the SARS CoV-2 virus, i.e., and would be built under the mountainous it is able to target the spike, membrane, and Stadhavet peninsula in northwestern Norway. envelope proteins of the coronavirus. ▪ The 1.7 km tunnel will be able to handle ships

▪ Oravax, the company developing the vaccine, IAS Study Circle Vetrii of up to 16,000 tonnes and give ships a safer is a joint venture between Premas and Oramed. passage through the treacherous Stadhavet India abstains in UNHRC vote on Sri Sea. Lanka India, Pakistan and China to participate ▪ India abstained from a crucial vote on Sri exercise “Pabbi-Anti-Terror 2021” Lanka’s rights record at the United Nations ▪ The member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Human Rights Council in Geneva. Organisation (SCO), including India, Pakistan ▪ The resolution on ‘Promoting reconciliation, and China, will hold a joint anti-terrorism accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka’ exercise named “Pabbi-Anti-Terror 2021” in was adopted after 22 states of the 47-member later 2021. Council voted in its favour. ▪ The exercise will be hosted by Pakistan at UNHRC its premier anti-terrorism centre in Pabbi in ▪ The UNHRC is a United Nations body Nowshera district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. established in 2006. It replaced the former ▪ It would be the first time that Indian forces will United Nations Commission on Human travel to Pakistan for any military exercise. Rights. ▪ The decision to hold “Pabbi-Antiterror-2021” ▪ Aim: To promote and protect human rights was announced during the 36th meeting of around the globe. Apart from that, the the Council of the Regional Anti-Terrorist UNHRC also investigate alleged human rights Structure (RATS) held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan violations in countries. on 18 March. ▪ Members: The council has 47 members elected ▪ RATS is a permanent organ of the 8-member for a 3-year term. 5 Regional groups elect these bloc-SCO to promote cooperation of member 47 members. states against terrorism, separatism and ▪ Head Quarters: Geneva, Switzerland. extremism. Kerala''s TB eradication programme Shanghai Coopeartion Organization bags award ▪ It is a permanent intergovernmental ▪ Kerala’s tuberculosis eradication programme international organisation. has won national honour as the state bagged ▪ It’s creation was announced on 15 June the Union government''s award for reducing Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii 2001 in Shanghai (China) by the Republic of

the prevalence of the disease through various Kazakhstan, the People’s Republic of China, systematic initiatives. the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, ▪ The disease control was made possible in the Republic of Tajikistan, and the Republic of

64 www.vetriias.com INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS | 65

Uzbekistan. during the Korean war of 1950-53. ▪ The SCO’s official languages are Russian and New Zealand becomes only second Chinese. country after India to pass Miscarriages India, US to resume homeland security Bereavement Leave Law dialogue ▪ The Bill allows mothers and their partners the ▪ India and the US announced they will re- right to paid leave following a miscarriage establish the Homeland Security Dialogue or still birth, without having to tap into sick focused on issues such as cybersecurity, leave. emerging technology, and violent extremism. ▪ Employees will get three days leave when a ▪ A discussion between US secretary for pregnancy ends with a stillbirth. homeland security Alejandro Mayorkas and ▪ With this, New Zealand has become only the Indian ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh second country in the world to do so. Sandhu. ▪ India is the only other country in the world ▪ An initiative of the Obama administration, the

Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii with similar legislation that provides leave for

first India-US Homeland Security Dialogue miscarriage and stillbirth. was held in May 2011. ▪ The second India-US Homeland Security Dialogue was held in Washington DC in 2013 between Napolitano and the then home minister Sushilkumar Shinde. India ranks 40th on International Intellectual Property Index 2021: GIPC ▪ India has been ranked 40 among 53 global economies in the International Intellectual Property (IP) Index 2021. ▪ The annual IP Index 2021 was released on March 23, 2021 by the US Chamber of Commerce Global Innovation Policy Centre (GIPC). ▪ This is ``the ninth edition of the IP index released by the GIPC. ▪ Categories include: Patent, Copyrights, Trademarks, Design Rights, Trade Secrets and Market Access, Commercialization of IP Assets, Enforcement, Systematic Efficiency, and International Treaties. ▪ In 2020 also, India ranked 40th among 53 economies. Indo-Korean friendship park in Delhi ▪ An India South Korea friendship park was jointly inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of National

Defence of South Korea Suh Wook at Delhi IAS Study Circle Vetrii cantonment. ▪ The park has been built to commemorate the contribution of Indian peacekeeping force

www.vetriias.com 65 ▪ ▪ ▪ Postal vote ▪ ▪ Learn toWrite educationprogram ▪ Learn toWrite educationprogram ▪ Thirukkural postal ballots. whether theywantto cast their votes through the visit categories afterpreparing a listandaskthem will officials three in the residences ofpersonsfailing the of schedule, notification the election of days five Within form consent when officialsvisittheirresidences. 12-D a up fill should Electors COVID-19 abled, and those who have tested positive for and Nadu elederly votersagedover80,thedifferently- Tamil in has allowedthecastingofpostalvotesfor time first Puducherry, the Election Commission of India the For Governments. the 60:40fundingofCentralandState Ezhuthuvom Movement' adult education program called to implementanew Directorate isplanning the Non-SchoolandAdultEducation Under theTamil Nadu LiteracyInitiative, completely illiterate. persons abovetheageof15yearswhoare a viewtoimpartingbasicliteracyilliterate Tamil Nadu,basedonthe2011Census,with Board (PAB)meetingheldon21.10.2020,in in viewandtheresultsofProjectApproval Based onthelettersofCentralGovernment literacy testintheLearntoWriteMovement. 100% attendanceiscompulsory for writingthe Thirukkural intoHebrew. Institute announcedthattheyplantotranslate Department and the WorldTamil Research Tamil Development The Directorofthe in alldistrictsunder 'Karpom 8. TAMILNADU ▪ ▪ Vetrii IAS▪ Study▪ Circle▪ ▪ Fourth rankineaseofliving ▪ ▪ Conservation Saksham 2021AwardsforOil&Gas with a12-Dconsentformforcastingvotes If theychoosetheoption,willbeprovided quality education, recreationalfacilities and Chennai isbetter rankedinaffordable and and 25thingovernance. services, 18th in technology, 44thinplanning in 17th finance, in third ranked is It services. governance, planning, technology, finance and performance index, which measures municipal In the Chennai isranked18th. security. third. Ithasrankedhighinoverallsafetyand In theCitizenPerceptionSurvey,ithasranked 62.61 outof100. Chennai’s totalscoreintheeaseoflivingis The city stood 14th in the previous survey. plus category. ease of living among 49 cities in the million rank inthe Chennai hassecuredthefourth Conservation ts andOilCompaniesfor&Gas Switch towardscleanerfuels to convincetheconsumers of fossilfuelsto fossil fuelsonhealthandenvironment, create awarenessabouttheadverse impact of 15 2021to from January16,2021toFebruary Mahotsav)’ 2021 (SanrakshanKshamata month longpan-Indiacampaign“SAKSHAM Research Association (PCRA)launched a The NewDelhi-basedPetroleumConservation Performance Best Overall State Govt. Award for Award AFFAIRS Category-I (Big State) Nadu Tamil TAMILNADU AFFAIRS | 67

safety of women. Affordable housing has been Attorney General K Parasaran and an area of concern. Coimbatore has improved Direct University Vice Chancellor S its rank from 25th to seventh. Vaithiyasubramaniam. Report Postal dak adalat to be held on March ▪ The Municipal Performance and Ease of Living 19 Indices 2020, issued by the Union Ministry of ▪ The Department of Posts will conduct a Dak Housing and Urban Affairs. Adalat at its Anna Road Head Post Office on Details of 11 documents to vote for the March 19 . legislature ▪ Residents may send their grievances by post ▪ The House of Representatives says the or email to [email protected]. Legislature can vote on any of the 11 documents in. on or before March 16. in the House of Commons. 20,000 crore fund for Blue revolution 1. Passport ▪ Rs 20,000 crore investment for blue revolution

2. Driving license IAS Study Circle Vetrii in maritime states including Tamil Nadu 3. Employee Identity Card issued by Central ▪ Central Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and and State Government Departments and Dairy Minister Pratap Chandra Sarangi has Public Sector Undertakings announced that over Rs.20,000 crore. 4. Nationalized Banks and Postal Saving ▪ To increase foreign exchange through seafood Account Book with photo exports and protect the fishing community, 5. Permanent Account Number Card issued National Fisheries Policy - 2020 has been by the Central Government formulated. 6. National People’s Registration Identity Tamil Nadu has highest revenue deficit Card among poll-bound States 7. Card issued under the National Rural ▪ Tamil Nadu has the highest revenue deficit at Employment Guarantee Act `65,994 crore (as per revised budget estimate 8. Insurance card issued by the Labor for 2020-21), among poll-bound States, Welfare Department according to a report. 9. Pension document with photograph ▪ In terms of size of the economy, Tamil Nadu’s 10. Official Identity Card issued to members economy is the largest (third largest in India), of the Legislative Assembly and followed by West Bengal (sixth), Kerala (11th), Parliamentary States Assam (17th) and Puducherry (26th). ▪ At `19 lakh crore, Tamil Nadu accounts for 9% 11. You can use any of the contents of the of India’s economy. card. ▪ According to the report, Assam has witnessed Launch of Legal Development Seat at the highest average economic growth of 8.6% Thanjavur Sastra University during the four-year period to FY20. ▪ Thanjavur Shastra Direct University Law ▪ West Bengal and Puducherry’s economy grew Department has started a seat for law and its on par with the national average, while at 6.3% development. Kerala’s economic growth. ▪ Supreme Court Judge Rohingya Nariman ▪ The services sector accounted for 51% or over inaugurated the seat for the law and its half of the Tamil Nadu’s economic output, development. followed by industry 38% and agriculture at ▪ The event, chaired by former Chief Justice of IAS Study Circle Vetrii 11% for FY21. the Supreme Court MN Venkatasalaiah, was ▪ Tamil Nadu’s economic growth averaged 8% attended by Advocate CS Vaithiyanathan, during FY16-2020, above the national average Attorney General KK Venugopal, former

www.vetriias.com 67 68 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

of 6.7%. ▪ The unemployment rate in Tamil Nadu in February 2021 was 4.8%, lower than the national average of 6.9%. ▪ The unemployment rates in other four States were also below the national average. Revenue Deficit ▪ Primary Deficit is Fiscal Deficit net of Interest Payment. It is the difference between Fiscal Deficit and Interest payment. ▪ Revenue deficit is the excess of revenue expenditure over revenue receipts. ▪ It indicates the Borrowing requirements of the government for the purpose other than interest payment. IAS Study Circle Vetrii

Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

68 www.vetriias.com 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. (C) Japan (A) China Arktika-M? Which countrypaysfor thesatellite (C) Ghana C aii (D)Denmark (A) Sudan vaccinate to under theCOVAXscheme? country first the was Which (B)Portugal (C) Namibia (A) Switzerland Maritime IndiaSummit-2021? for the country partner is the Which country (D) Amazonia-1 (C) UnitySat (B) SathishDawanSat (A) SindhNetra image isengravedonwhichsatellite? satellites withthePSLVC-51rocket.The (D)March19 engraved asISROrecentlylaunched been (B)March21 The portrait ofPrime Minister Modi has (C) March18 (D)Odia (A) March20 (B)Tamil celebrated? When istheInternationalDayofForests (C) Gujarati (A) Bengali ’? write thechildren’s Ramayana titled‘Plaka In whichlanguagedid Ayush Kumar (D) CzesławMiłosz (C) PeterHandke (B) LouiseGlück (A) OlgaTokarczuk Lost Soul”? Who istheauthorofbooktitled“The (D) France (B) Russia (D) Egypt (B) Ethiopia 10. 9. 8. Vetrii15. IAS Study14. Circle13. 12. 11. C ai au (D) (B)Odisha (C) TamilNadu (A) Karnataka giving lifeimprisonmenttofoodaddicts? Which stategovernmenthasenactedalaw (C) Noida (A) Pune organised inwhichcity? The Saras AajeevikaMela2021hasbeen (D) Karnataka (C) TamilNadu (B) Kerala (A) MadhyaPradesh processing center? flower a up set to planning is state Which C oe eee (D) RafelNadal (C) RogerFederer (B) NovakJokovich (A) DanielMedvadev (D)Bihar Australian Open2021? Who wonthemen’ssingles titleatthe (B)Odisha (C) Jharkhand (D) Israel (A) Chattisgarh in whichstate Similipal BiosphereReservelocatedinlies (C) America (A) UAE (B)Tripura organised bywhichcountry? VI AirforceExercise 2021is Desert Flag (C) Assam (A) Manipur (D)05March with plasticwaste? (B)02March Which statewasplanningtobuildaroad (C) 04March (A) 03March When isWorldHearingDayobserved? QUESTIONS 9. PRACTICE (D) Chennai (B) Hyderabad (B) Qatar (D) Bihar MadhyaPradesh 70 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

16. How many seats were there in the 25. When was the judgment of Indira Swahani state assembly before the Delimitation in the case of reservation come into force? Commission of Jammu and Kashmir? (A) 1990 (B) 1991 (A) 80 (B) 85 (C) 1992 (D) 1993 (C) 87 (D) 90 26. Which Indian wrestler has become world 17. Tianwen- 1 Satelite belongs to which no.1 in 65 kg category? country? (A) (B) Bajrang Punia (A) Japan (B) South Korea (C) Vinesh Phogat (D) (C) France (D) China 27. Which state’s governor has approved a bill 18. When was the Confederation of Indian to reserve 75% of private-sector jobs for Industry formed? locals? (A) 1895 (B) 1905 (A) Gujarat (B) Punjab (C) 1915 (D) 1925 (C) Rajasthan (D) Haryana Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

19. Which country enacted the world’s first 28. When was the Pradhan Mantri Bhartya Jan Miscarriages Bereavement Leave Law? Aushadi Pari Yojana Scheme launched? (A) India (B) New Zealand (A) 2008 (B) 2010 (C) Sweden (D) Australia (C) 2012 (D) 2015 20. Electoral bonds are sold by which of the 29. GISAT satellite is launched by which of the following organization? following rocket? (A) RBI (A) GSLV-F10 (B) GSLV-F51 (B) SBI (C) PSLV-F10 (D) PSLV-C51 (C) Election Commission 30. Brahmaputra river originates from which (D) Union Home ministry mountain range? 21. When was The Protection of Children from (A) Kailash (B) Karakoram Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act enacted? (C) Kanjanjunga (D) Nanda parbat (A) 2006 (B) 2009 31. According to Moody’s, what percentage of (C) 2012 (D) 2014 India’s economy will grow in 2021? 22. In which area is the India-US Joint Naval (A) 8% (B) 7% Exercise Passex held? (C) 12% (D) 13% (A) Pacific Ocean (B) Indian Ocean 32. When is the International Happiness day (C) Atlantic Ocean (D) Mediterranean observed? 23. Where is pang dam lake wildlife sanctuary (A) March 19 (B) March 20 located? (C) March 21 (D) March 22 (A) Uttar Pradesh 33. Which state was declared as a model state (B) Assam for Van Dhan Vikas Yojana? (C) Himachal Pradesh (A) Assam (B) Gujarat (D) Jammu and Kashmir (C) Madhya Pradesh (D) Manipur 24. The ‘Maitri Setu’ has been built on which of 34. When was India’s first interstate tiger the following river? migration project launched? (A) Sankosh River (B) Feni River IAS Study Circle Vetrii

(A) 2020 (B) 2019 (C) Manas River (D) Kameng River (C) 2018 (D) 2017

70 www.vetriias.com PRACTICE QUESTIONS | 71

35. Where is the Kalathea Marine Bioshpere 44. Which country is launching first project to Reserve located? map genomes in Indian Ocean? (A) West Bengal (A) India (B) China (B) Gulf of Mannar (C) Indonesia (D) Sri Lanka (C) Andaman & Nocobar 45. When is the World Tuberculosis day (D) Lakshadweep observed? 36. When was the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima (A) March 22 (B) March 23 Yojana (PMFBY) launched? (C) March 24 (D) March 25 (A) 2016 (B) 2017 46. Which city ranks first in the list of most (C) 2018 (D) 2019 polluted cities in the world in IQ air index? 37. When was the legal recognition of SEBI (A) Xinjiang (B) New Delhi granted by Parliament? (C) Mumbai (D) Pune (A) 1988 (B) 1990 47. In which state was the first Integrated (C) 1992 (D) 1993 IAS Study Circle Vetrii Government Ambulance Service for 38. When was World Wildlife Fund for Nature livestock launched? established? (A) Maharashtra (A) 1960 (B) 1961 (B) Rajasthan (C) 1962 (D) 1963 (C) Madhya Pradesh (D) Andhra Pradesh 39. The 3rd passenger train between India and Bangladesh is scheduled to start from 48. In March 2021, under Operation Sankalp, Dhaka to where? Indian Navy undertook Passage Exercise (A) Kolkata (B) Darjiling (PASSEX) with which country’s navy? (C) Duragpur (D) New Jalpaiguri (A) Bahrain (B) Norway (C) Palau (D) Oslo 40. The Shigmo Festival is celebrated in which of the following State? 49. When was signed the water treaty (A) Goa (B) Kerala agreement between India - Pakistan? (C) Odisha (D) Haryana (A) 1954 (B) 1960 (C) 1962 (D) 1964 41. Where is the headquarters of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights 50. Which team has won the champion at the located? Vijay Hazare Trophy? (A) Rome (B) Vienna (A) Mumbai (B) Chennai (C) Geneva (D) France (C) Delhi (D) Uttar Pradesh 42. In the recent news, The Karon groups 51. Which of the following beneficiaries is belongs to which country? targeted by the Saral pension scheme? (A) Myanmar (B) Thailand (A) Private company employees (C) Bangladesh (D) India (B) Unorganized workers 43. Which state has launched ‘Kalanamak Rice (C) The elderly and widows Festival’? (D) For the unsupported (A) Madhya Pradesh 52. Which country is the largest crude oil

(B) Uttar Pradesh IAS Study Circle Vetrii supplier to India? (C) Andhra Pradesh (A) United States (B) UAE (D) Uttarakhand (C) Iraq (D) Nigeria

www.vetriias.com 71 72 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

53. World Consumer Rights Day is observed on 61. How many are the permanent and non- which day of the year? permanent member states of the United (A) March 14 (B) March 15 Nations Security Council? (C) March 13 (D) March 12 (A) 13 (B) 15 (C) 18 (D) 20 54. The world’s tallest railway bridge is being built over which of the following rivers? 62. What is the name of the world’s most (A) Ravi (B) Chenab powerful supercomputer, which has been (C) Satlaj (D) Bias developed by Japan and made operational recently? 55. Which is the largest freshwater lake in (A) Akane (B) Volcano India? (C) Fugaku (D) Pangea (A) Whular Lake (B) Dal lake 63. Manpreet Vohra has been given the role of (C) Vembanadu lake India’s Ambassador to which country? (D) Pulikat lake IAS Study Circle Vetrii (A) New Zealand (B) Australia (C) Japan (D) Finland 56. Where is the Kaziranga national park located? 64. The world’s first mobile water from air (A) Tripura (B) Assam kiosk and water knowledge centre has recently been unveiled in which city? (C) Meghalaya (D) Nagaland (A) Bengaluru 57. Which is the first state in India to adopt (B) Hyderabad Ethanol Production Promotion Policy, 2021? (C) Visakhapatnam (A) Delhi (B) Bihar (D) Chennai (C) Maharashtra (D) Rajasthan 65. Which country will host the Asian Boxing 58. Who has been appointed as the India’s 4th Championships 2021? new Chief Statistician of India? (A) India (B) Thailand (A) G.P. Samanta (C) South Korea (D) Indonesia (B) Rathina Kumar (C) Anurah Kasyap 66. Which day of the year is celebrated as the International Day of Mathematics (IDM) (D) Vinod kumar Sinha globally? 59. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (A) March 11 (B) March 12 won the King Bhumibol World Soil Day (C) March 13 (D) March 14 Award, it is conferred by which of the following institution? 67. International Women’s Day was recognized (A) Food and Agriculture Organization by the United Nations in which of the following year? (B) World Food Programme (C) International Union of Soil Sciences (A) 1972 (B) 1975 (D) International Union of Geological (C) 1945 (D) 1950 Sciences 68. Who has been appointed as the CEO of the 60. India’s first centralised air-conditioned Unique Identification Authority of India? (AC) railway terminal ‘Sir M Visvesvaraya (A) Saurbah Garg Terminal’ has been setup in which city? (B) S.P. Saravanan Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

(A) Bengaluru (B) Mumbai (C) Madanlal Rathore (C) Chennai (D) Kolkata (D) Faiz Ahmed Kidwai

72 www.vetriias.com PRACTICE QUESTIONS | 73

69. How many institutes across India are 78. In which part of the country was the warship currently accorded the status of National named L-58 dedicated? Importance Institute? (A) Vishakhapatnam (A) 120 (B) 130 (B) Kochi (C) 145 (D) 150 (C) Andaman 70. Where is the headquarters of the (D) Kolkata International Renewable Energy Agency 79. When was the Nirbhaya Fund scheme located? launched? (A) Abu Dhabi (B) Vienna (A) 2012 (B) 2013 (C) Switzerland (D) USA (C) 2014 (D) 2015 71. What is the theme of the Earth Hour 2021? 80. Who has been inaugurated the 4th (A) Climate change to save earth International Ayurveda Festival? (B) Climate Change (A) Prime Minister (C) Save Earth IAS Study Circle Vetrii (B) President

(D) Save Climate Change (C) External Minister 72. What is the Integrated Emergency Number (D) Vice President for Women? 81. Which municipality has topped the (A) 108 (B) 112 Municipal Performance Index (MPI) 2020 in (C) 182 (D) 190 Million plus population category? 73. Who’s name is going to be named to the (A) Ahmedabad (B) Indore bacteria found in the International Space (C) Surat (D) Pune Station? 82. The Reikijan Peninsula, which has been in (A) Abdul Kalam (B) K.Sivan the news recently, is in which country? (C) K.N.Namboodri (D) Syed Ajmal Khan (A) Finland (B) England 74. The recently launched “Vajra“ ship belongs (C) Iceland (D) Greenland to which of the following types? 83. Who won the women’s singles titles in (A) Submarine Badminton at the 2021 Uganda International (B) Aircraft Carrier in Kampala? (C) Coast Patrol Vessel (A) Ashmita Chaliha (B) Malvika Bansod (D) Nuclear Submarine (C) Rituparna Das (D) Mugdha Agrey 75. When was the National Fisheries 84. Which of the following countries is not Development Board formed? a member of the Organization of the (A) 2005 (B) 2006 Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)? (C) 2008 (D) 2010 1. Iran 2. Iraq 3. Saudi Arabia 4. India 76. The World’s first exclusive Ship Tunnel is slated to be constructed in which country? (A) 1 only (B) 1, 4 only (C) 4 only (D) 1, 2 only (A) Germany (B) Singapore (C) Finland (D) Norway 85. Which of the following countries was recently joined with QUAD Countries 77. Where is the headquarters of the Food Organizations? Corporation of India located? IAS Study Circle Vetrii

(A) Japan (B) Australia (A) Chennai (B) New Delhi (C) America (D) India (C) Hyderabad (D) Kolkata

www.vetriias.com 73 74 | Current Affairs (March 2021) Vetrii IAS Study Circle

86. Which company has given the International 93. Where was held the 17th National level Energy Environment Leadership Award to Silambam Championship? Prime Minister Modi? (A)Tamil Nadu (B) Kerala (A) UN (C) Karnataka (D) Assam (B) Cambridge Energy Research Associates 94. How many primary health centers in India (C) International Solar Alliance were about to bring under the AYUSHMAN (D) Oxford University BHARAT scheme with in 2022? 87. When is the national Ordnance Factory Day (A) 10000 (B) 1,25,000 observed? (C) 1,50,000 (D) 200000 (A) March 17 (B) March 18 95. Who has become the first Indian woman (C) March 19 (D) March 20 cricketer to score 10,000 international runs 88. Where was the first ever White-Water across all formats? Rafting Festival being organized? (A) Mithali Raj

(A) Bihar IAS Study Circle Vetrii (B) Harmanpreet Kaur

(B) Himachal Pradesh (C) Smriti Mandhana (C) Jammu and Kashmir (D) Veda Krishnamurthy (D) Uttarakhand 96. Which state government has planned to 89. Which state has launched the SAAMAR launch Arjuna Sahayak Irrigation Project? Campaign to tackle malnutrition in the (A) Madhya Pradesh (B) Gujarat state? (C) Rajasthan (D) Uttar Pradesh (A) Rajasthan 97. Which of the following app was launched (B) Kerala to implement One Nation and One Ration (C) Jharkhand card scheme? (D) West Bengal (A) Mera Ration (B) Peoples Ration 90. The Toda tribe belongs to which of the (C) Ration Oxes (D) Ration on door following State/UT? 98. What is the new Railway Helpline Number? (A) Tamil Nadu (A) 110 (B) 123 (B) Ladakh (C) 139 (D) 140 (C) Odisha (D) Arunachal Pradesh 99. Which nation has launched its military exercise in space? 91. Which of the following organization has (A) US (B) France published the Food Waste Index 2021? (C) Russia (D) China (A) World Food Programme (B) World Health Organization 100. India’s largest solar floating park has (C) United Nations Environment been launched in Telangana. What is the production capacity? Programme (D) Food & Agriculture Organization (A) 100 MW (B) 200 MW (C) 217 MW (D) 447 MW 92. Which of the following Related to Amrut Mahotsav? (A) Tourism Development festival (B) Cultural Festival IAS Study Circle Vetrii

(C) 75th Independence Day (D) Tribes Festival

74 www.vetriias.com PRACTICE QUESTIONS | 75

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

A D B D D C B D C D

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

A B A B B C D A A B

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

C B C B C B D A A A Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

C B D A C A C A D A

41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

C A B A C A D A B A

51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60

A C B B A B B A A A

61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70

B C B C A D B A B A

71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80

A B D C B D B C B A

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B C B C B B B C C A

91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

C C A C A D A C B A

www.vetriias.com 75 Address Name 1 Sign Date DOB Educational E-Mail Mobile No Old No.52,NewNo.1, 9 VETRII IASSTUDY CIRCLE Contact Address: Phone: 044-2626 5326|9884472636 |9884421666 9884432666 Anna NagarEast,Chennai –600102. st (Fill therequireddetailsandsendwithsubscriptionamounttobelowaddressmentioned) Avenue MainRoad, (NearIsthaSiddhi VinayakarTemple), Subscription Period STUDENT DETAILS SUBSCRIPTION FORM 24 MONTHS 18 MONTHS 12 MONTHS th Street,FBlock,      at CHENNAI. In favourof“VETRIIIASSTUDY CIRCLE’’. Payable Date Amount Deposited IFSC Code Account No Bank A/C Name Bank Date Amount Cheque/DD/MO Vetrii IAS Study Circle No. ofIssues Cheque 24 18 12 Subscription No: OUR BANKDETAILS MODE OFPAYMENT  DD/MO HDFC 0000017 50200000435399 HDFC BANK VETRII IASSTUDY CIRCLE 1900/- 1450/- Price 970/- ______ Online Transfer