GK & Current Affairs Quiz: February 03, 2018

Notes:
Shyam Benegal, the veteran film producer and director, has been bestowed with the prestigious V. Shantaram lifetime achievement Award 2018 for his contribution to the promotion of the documentary movement. The award, carrying a trophy, a citation, shawl and cash prize of Rs 10 lakh, has been conferred on Benegal by Maharashtra Governor C.V. Rao at the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) 2018 valedictory function on February 3, 2018. Benegal has made 28 great films like Ankur, Mandi, Bhumika and Manthan. Besides that, he has made 41 documentary films on various social topics. His work on television consists of several popular series including the 53 part series ‘Bharat Ek Khoj’ first broadcast on Doordarshan in 1988. He also made the much acclaimed ‘Samvidhaan – The Making of the Constitution of India”. He is the recipient of the national award in 1982 for the film ‘Satyajit Ray’. The Government of India has honored him with Padmashree, Padma-Bhushan and Dada Saheb Phalke award earlier.

Notes:
The 2018 Kala Ghoda Arts festival has started at Cross Maidan in Mumbai, Maharashtra on February 3 and will go on till February 11. It is in news recently because the Bombay High Court has refused permission for cultural events as part of the Kala Ghoda Festival at public properties free of cost and without imposing any conditions, which were granted by the Maharashtra government. The 2018 theme of the fest is “Hara Ghoda” to promote sustainable living, recycling and environment-friendliness. It is an open platform to discuss contemporary issues led by individuals from different disciples.

Notes:
The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has signed a project agreement with the World Bank (WB) for Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) on Ganga to enhance navigation on National Waterway-1 from Varanasi to Haldia. Beside this, the Government of India and the World Bank has also signed a $375 million loan agreement for JMVP. The signing of the pact comes after Union Cabinet approved the implementation of $800 million JMVP for capacity augmentation of navigation on River Ganga. The JMVP, which is expected to be completed by March 2023, is being implemented with the financial and technical support of the World Bank. The development and operations of the National Waterway-1 project will lead to direct employment generation to the tune of 46,000 and indirect employment of 84,000 in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. 

Notes:
The Assam Government has signed an MoU with the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) Limited to build a Twin Tower Trade Centre in Guwahati at a cost of Rs 1950 crore. The Twin Tower Trade centre has enacted a pro-active Act East Policy to elevate and harness the strengths of North-East India and reduce the isolation of the region by improving all round connectivity and civic infrastructure. This trade centre will generate once established and made operational, by connecting us with South East Nations and being a major trading hub thereby increasing economic interlinkages. The headquarters of NBCC is located in New Delhi.

Notes:
India has won the 12th edition of ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2018 after thrashing Australia in the final by eight wickets at bay oval at Mount Maunganui in New Zealand on February 3. With this win, India has lifted the ICC Under-19 World Cup for the record fourth time. India’s star batsman Manjot Kalra led his team to the victory as he made brilliant unbeaten century riding on 8 fours and 3 sixes. He was adjudged Man of the Match and Shubman Gill Man of the Series.

Notes:
Arun Jaitely, the Union Finance Minister, has inaugurated India’s first sentiment index “CriSidEx” for micro and small enterprises in New Delhi. CriSidEx, which is developed jointly by SIDBI and CRISIL, is a composite index based on a diffusion index of 8 parameters and measures MSE business sentiment on a negative to positive scale. This index will give the detail breakup of the sentiment sentiments and analysis as the sector sees it for the current quarter and for the next quarter. The current parametric feedback was captured through a survey of one thousand one hundred MSEs in November and December last year.

Notes:
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched the world’s longest zip Line “Jebel Jais Flight ” in Ras al-Khaimah. The 2.83km zip line allows thrill seekers to jump from the peak off the UAE’s highest mountain “Jebel Jais”. The Jebel Jais Flight zip line launches from 1,680m above sea level, at the peak of the Jebel Jais Mountain. Ras al-Khaimah currently gets 1 million tourist visitors a year and aims to drive 100,000 of them to use the zip line. It was recently awarded the Guinness World Record for world’s longest zip line.

Notes:
The Department of Defence Production (DDP) has constituted the multi-stakeholder task force task force to study use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in military. The 17-member task force will be headed by Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran. The task force will study the whole gamut of issues surrounding strategic implications of AI in national security perspective.

Notes:
The book “Exam Warriors” has been authored by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inspire youth to face the difficult moments of examinations and life with fresh and new energy. It emphasizes the importance of play, sleep & even travel. It was released by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at a function in New Delhi on February 3, 2018. The book is said to be interactive, with illustrations, activities and yoga exercises, and intended to be a friend to youths not only in acing exams but also in facing life. It is published by Penguin India. Currently, it is available in English and will soon be published in multiple languages.

Notes:
Sudeep Lakhtakia, the 1984-batch IPS officer of the Telangana cadre, has taken charge as the new Director General of the ‘black cats commando’ force National Security Guard (NSG). DG of National Security Guard (NSG) and will hold the post till July 2019. He succeeded S P Singh, who retires on January 31, 2018. Prior to this post, Lakhtakia was serving as a Special Director General in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) headquarters in New Delhi. The NSG was raised as the federal contingency force to counter terrorists and hijack-like incidents in 1984. It is under the authority of Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA).