Current Affairs Quiz: March 16, 2024

Option C
Explanation:
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated Nausena Bhawan, the newly-constructed headquarters of the Indian Navy, located at Delhi Cantonment. This is the Navy’s first independent headquarters in Delhi.

Option D
Explanation:
Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri launched ‘Ethanol 100′ automotive fuel at Indian Oil’s Irwin Road Service Station in Delhi.
The initiative marks ready availability of Ethanol 100 at select 183 retail petrol outlets across five states – Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, New Delhi, and Tamil Nadu.

Option B
Explanation:
“A Decade of Science – Technology Panorama for Aatmanirbhar Bharat” report was unveiled by Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology (S&T), Minister of State for Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and Department of Space (DoS) Dr. Jitendra Singh, in the event held at Vigyan Bhavan.

Option D
Explanation:
India, which was downgraded to the status of an “electoral autocracy” in 2018, has declined even further on multiple metrics to emerge as “one of the worst autocratizers”, according to the ‘Democracy Report 2024’ released by the Gothenburg-based V-Dem Institute that tracks democratic freedoms worldwide.

Option C
Explanation:
IIT Delhi recently announced a collaboration with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), a significant step in applied research. This partnership, emphasized in an official statement from IIT Delhi, reflects IAI’s commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) in India, aiming to promote innovation and technological advancement through joint projects, training initiatives, and research consultancy.

Option D
Explanation:
The Government of India has approved E-Vehicle policy to promote India as a manufacturing destination so that e-vehicles with the latest technology can be manufactured in the country.

Option B
Explanation:
Maharashtra is set to become the first Indian state to buy land in union territory Jammu and Kashmir in order to construct a tourist facility for the state’s people. The Jammu and Kashmir government has approved the transfer of land to the Maharashtra government for ₹8.16 crore
Maharashtra Bhawan would be constructed in central Kashmir’s Budgam, first-ever state Bhavan in the valley. The Maharashtra Bhawan will come up on 2.5 acres of land at Ichgam, near Srinagar airport.

Option A
Explanation:
The Rajasthan government has decided to distribute free seeds of millets and coarse grains to the state’s farmers in a bid to boost millet production

Option B
Explanation:
Tamil Nadu accounted for almost 65% of the illegal trade in shark body parts, a new analysis of seizures by TRAFFIC and WWF-India between January 2010 and December 2022 has revealed. TRAFFIC is the Trade Records Analysis of Flora and Fauna in Commerce. Tamil Nadu followed by other states such as Karnataka, Gujarat, Kerala, and Maharashtra.
Recently, the factsheet was released titled as ‘Netted in illegal wildlife trade: Sharks of India’, aims to sound the alarm about India’s illegal shark trade and highlight ongoing threats and conservation concerns.

Option C
Explanation:
India’s ranking on the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) improved by one position in 2022 to 134 out of 193 countries ranked compared to 135 out of 191 countries in 2021.
The data was published in the United Nations Development Programme’s report titled “Breaking the Gridlock: Reimagining Cooperation in a Polarized World”.

Option B
Explanation:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) unveiled draft guidelines on the disclosure framework on climate-related financial risks for regulated entities (REs).
These guidelines are set to apply to a wide array of REs, including scheduled commercial banks, Tier IV primary urban co-operative banks (UCBs), foreign banks operating in India, all Indian financial institutions (AIFIs), and top and upper layer non-banking financial companies (NBFCs).

Option C
Explanation:
The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $23 million loan agreement to enhance access to quality fintech education, research, and innovation at the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT-City).

Option C
Explanation:
Grain commerce platform Arya.ag has partnered with Shivalik Small Finance Bank to assist farmers, agro-processors, and micro-enterprises financially.

Option B
Explanation:
The annual rate of inflation based on all India Wholesale Price Index (WPI) number is 0.20% (Provisional) for the month of February, 2024 (over February, 2023). Positive rate of inflation in February, 2024 is primarily due to increase in prices of food articles, crude petroleum & natural gas, electricity, machinery & equipment and motor vehicles, trailers & semi-trailers etc.
The WPI for all commodities increased by 0.07% in February 2024 compared to January 2024.

Option C
Explanation:
US film and television giant Paramount Global announced it would sell its stake in Indian media venture Viacom18 to another Indian entertainment firm, Reliance.The $517 million deal would transfer Paramount’s entire 13 percent stake to Reliance, according to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, a US regulator.

Option C
Explanation:
Ratings agency Fitch raised India’s GDP growth estimates for FY24 and FY25, as compared with its previous outlook, citing growing domestic demand and improved business and consumer confidence.
Terming the upward revisions “sizeable”, the ratings agency changed the FY24 estimate to 7.8% from 6.9% in December 2023, and the FY25 estimate to 7%, from 6.5% a quarter ago. It also lowered its expectations of future rate cuts.

Option B
Explanation:
Mumbai, won the Ranji Trophy 2024 after beating Vidarbha by 169 runs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. It also happened to be their 42nd title for Mumbai, which showed why they are deemed as a brute force in Indian domestic cricket.

Option C
Explanation:
Max Verstappen won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix from pole position as Red Bull continued their dominant start to the Formula One season with a second one-two in as many races.It was the first time Verstappen, winner of a record 19 of 22 races last year, has won the first two races of a season.

Option B
Explanation:
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has appointed his longtime economic adviser Mohammed Mustafa to be the next prime minister in the face of US pressure to reform the Palestinian Authority as part of Washington’s post-war vision for Gaza.
Mustafa replaces former Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh who, along with his government, resigned in February citing the need for change amid Israel’s war on Gaza and escalating violence in the occupied West Bank.

Option A
Explanation:
Chameli Devi Jain Award 2024 for Outstanding Woman Media Person of the Year has been given jointly to independent journalist Greeshma Kuthar, and Ritika Chopra of the Indian Express.
Kuthar has been awarded for her deeply-researched long-form investigative reporting from conflict areas such as Manipur. Chopra has been awarded for her in-depth investigative stories in the fields of education and government policy.
The award is named after freedom fighter and community reformer Chameli Devi Jain who was imprisoned during India’s Independence movement.

Option B
Explanation:
Ratan Tata, former chairman of Tata Sons, was bestowed with the prestigious PV Narasimha Rao Memorial Award for his outstanding philanthropic contributions.
The PV Narasimha Rao Memorial Award, named after the former Prime Minister of India, is an award of recognition for individuals who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to social welfare and humanitarian causes.

Option C
Explanation:
Former Navy Chief Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas, a war hero remembered for a host of accomplishments, including his role in the 1971 India-Pakistan war, died in Telangana. He was 90.

Option B
Explanation:
Amid excavations preceding the construction of a retirement home at Germany’s Nuremberg, archaeologists have made a significant discovery and found over 1,500 skeletons of plague victims in mass graves. This is likely to be the largest mass burial of plague victims ever found in Europe.
Though precise dating is pending, initial details claim that the eight plague pits were established around the first half of the 17th century.

Option C
Explanation:
Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry Dairying Parshottam Rupala release the Book and Video on “Sagar Parikrama” at Engineering Association, Rajkot, Gujarat.The book aims to chronicle the Sagar Parikrama Yatra, encompassing diverse elements such as the maritime route, cultural and geographical explorations, and notable impacts from all 12 phases of the journey