Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2021

Notes:
India’s first pollinator park has been established in the city of Nainital, Uttarakhand. It has been developed by research wing of the Uttarakhand Forest Department.
The four-acre-park has over 40 species of butterflies, honeybees, birds and insects. The park aims to create awareness among people about the conservation of these species. It also aims to promote research on threats to habitat and impact of pollution on these species.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India constituted a High-Level Committee on Deepening of Digital Payments under the Chairmanship of Nandan Nilekani in January 2019.
This committee recommended various measures to strengthen digital payment including the idea of National Common Mobility Card. Recently, the Prime Minister launched the NCMC service for the Delhi Metro’s Airport Express Line.

Notes:
Malayali is a tribal group from the Eastern Ghats residing in North Tamil Nadu. They also form the largest Scheduled tribes in that region, with over 3.5 lakh population.
Giant Rock Bee Honey sourced from the Tribes was recently added to Tribes India Collection, as per the press release by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. Over 35 new organic tribal products have been listed in the Tribes India outlets and website under ‘From Our Home to your Home’ campaign.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet has recently approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU0 between India and Bhutan on cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.
The MoU was signed on November 19 by representatives of both the countries sides at Bangalore as well as Thimpu and exchanged. This will enable cooperation in fields like remote sensing, satellite communication and satellite- based navigation, use of spacecraft and space systems among others.

Notes:
The European Union and China have recently agreed to the long-awaited investment treaty, which aims to open up new corporate opportunities.
The accord was confirmed by China’s president Xi Jinping and EU leaders including European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen. This is also the most ambitious treaty China has ever agreed with a third country.

Notes:
Michael Kondo, who was a veteran Indian Hockey player, died at the age of 73 recently. He was awarded the Arjuna Award in 1972.
He was a member of the first and only World Cup-winning team in 1975 in Kuala Lumpur. He was also a member of the team that won a bronze medal in the 1972 Olympics in Munich, where he scored three goals.

Notes:
Soma Mondal has recently taken charge as the new Chairman of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL). Prior to this, she was the Director (Commercial) of the Public Sector enterprise. She replaces the incumbent Chairman Anil Kumar Chaudhary
Soma Mandal also had served as the Director (Commercial) at another CPSE, the National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), before her venture in SAIL.

Notes:
The 51st edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) to be held in Goa from 16th to 24th of January, 2021.
Recently, the registrations have commenced for media delegates, who desire to attend the event, which will be held in a hybrid mode, on account of the Covid-19 pandemic. The registration will be open till January 10, 2021.

Notes:
The National Metrology Conclave 2021 has been organized by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL), New Delhi.
This research organization has entered its 75th year of inception. The theme of the function was ‘Metrology for the Inclusive Growth of the Nation’. The inaugural function was attended by the Prime Minster of India via video conferencing.

Notes:
The space researchers of Japan are exploring the possibilities of using wooden components to reduce the excess space junk. They have proposed that using wooden components in space mission would burn up upon reentry to Earth’s atmosphere.
In this regard, Sumitomo Forestry which is a 400-year-old Japanese woodworking company has partnered with Kyoto University to develop the technology.