Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2019

Notes:
The Geographical Indications Registry has recently granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag to Coorg Arabica Coffee, Wayanad Robusta Coffee, Chikmagalur Arabica Coffee, Araku Valley Arabica Coffee and Bababudangiris Arabica Coffee. According to the GI application, Coorg Arabica Coffee is grown specifically in Kodagu district in Karnataka. As per the application petitions, Chikmagalur Arabica Coffee and Bababudangiris Arabica Coffee are both grown in Chikmagalur district, Karnataka which is also known as the birthplace of coffee in the country. Araku Valley Arabica Coffee, grown around Visakhapatnam district in Andhra Pradesh and Koraput district in Odisha, is light to medium in strength, has a pleasant acidity with a citrus note of grape fruit and a mild jaggery-like sweetness. As per the GI application for Wayanad Robusta Coffee, the flora of Wayanad is characteristic of the Western Ghats and the plantation crops grown in the cool climate. A GI tag is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation by virtue of their geographical association. The tag conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the geographical origin of the product. The owner of the GI tag has exclusive rights over the product.

Notes:
The West Nile Virus (WNV) fever is a mosquito-borne viral infection, which is rare in India. It is a single-stranded RNA virus that causes West Nile fever. It is a member of the family Flaviviridae, specifically from the genus Flavivirus, which also contains the Zika virus, dengue virus, and yellow fever virus. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that the WNV is transmitted to humans through bites from Culex mosquitoes which get infected when they feed on infected birds. The infection could be confirmed only if the second samples test positive. Hence, birds are the natural hosts of WNV. Symptoms include fever, headache, tiredness, and body aches, nausea, vomiting, occasionally with a skin rash on the trunk of the body, and swollen lymph glands. It is in news because a 7-year-old boy from Kerala was recently diagnosed with the WNV fever. For this issue, the Union has dispatched a multi-disciplinary Central team from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to assess the spread of WNV in Kerala.

Notes:
Chinmoy Roy (79), the veteran Bengali actor, has passed away in Kolkata on March 18, 2019. Born in Kumilla district in present day Bangladesh in 1940, Roy had started his career in Bengali films in the 60s and became indispensable to the film makers for his portrayal of comic characters retaining the very essence of Bengaliness. He was equally noticed along with big names such as Soumitra Chatterjee and Rabi Ghosh in films like ‘Basanta Bilap’ and ‘Dhonni Meye’. Roy was cast by Satyajit Ray in a small role in children’s fantasy ‘Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne’. He had immortalised the character of Tenyda in the film ‘Charmurti’ which became a major hit in the 1980s.

Notes:
Pramod Sawant, the former Speaker of the Goa legislative Assembly and BJP MLA from Sankhelim in north Goa, has been sworn-in as the 11th Chief Minister of Goa. He was administered the oath of office and secrecy at the Raj Bhavan by Governor Mridula Sinha. He succeeded Manohar Parrikar, who died on March 17 after a prolonged battle with advanced pancreatic cancer. A six-time MLA and former Defence Minister, Mr Parrikar was born on 13th December 1955. He graduated from IIT Mumbai with a B.Tech degree in metallurgical engineering. Mr Parrikar was first elected to the Goa assembly in 1994. He served as Chief Minister of the state during October 2000 to February 2005; and March 2012 to November 2014. From November 2014 till March 2017, he served as the Union Defence Minister. Mr Parrikar returned to Goa in March 2017 as the State Chief Minister. The popular leader would be remembered for his efforts in infrastructure and education development in the state and bringing the International Film Festival of India to Goa in 2004.

Notes:
The book titled “The Great Disappointment: How Narendra Modi Squandered a Unique Opportunity to Transform the Indian Economy” has been authored by economic and political commentator Salman Anees Soz. The book claims that Demonetisation was a terrible idea and the government’s own economic surveys have indicated that this move contributed to a slowdown in the economy. According to author, demonetisation was a self-goal by the Modi government. The book attempts to answer the overarching question of whether or not the Modi government transformed India’s economy and what the next government’s agenda should look like. The book is also a critical assessment of five years of the brand of economics Modi has championed, often referred to as ‘Modinomics’.

Notes:
Recently, Italian Premier Premier Giuseppe Conte has pledged to make Italy the first Group of Seven nation to join China’s ambitious Belt and Road initiative, despite objections from the United States and concerns within his governing coalition. While, on 20th March 2019, India signalled that it will boycott China’s second Belt and Road Forum (BRF) for a second time. It stated that no country can participate in an initiative that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity. India boycotted the first BRF in 2017 after protesting to Beijing over the controversial China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is being laid through the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) overriding New Delhi’s sovereignty concerns. China has already deepened its commitment to expand the USD 60 billion CPEC, which aims to connect China’s Xinjiang province with Pakistan’s Gwadar port with a host of road, rail, gas and oil pipelines.

Notes:
The Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) has launched smart garbage bins made of stainless steel. These smart garbage bins will be able to send a signal to the garbage collection vehicle about the ‘fill-up’ position of the bin, aiding better cleaning and lower human intervention. The environment-friendly garbage bins will be made of SAIL SALEM stainless steel. These will be installed in underground Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) pits at the Smart Garbage Station. This will help prevent the spread of stink and diseases. There will be separate bins for recyclable and non-recyclable wastes. The pits in which the bins will be placed, will be covered with a pit cover fabricated out of stainless steel slip-free sheets. Suitable openings on the pit cover will allow the sanitation crew to dump the collected garbage into the stainless steel bins placed underground. SAIL will supply stainless steel garbage bins to Smart Garbage Stations at Bhikaji Cama Place in Delhi, which is being developed by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC).

Notes:
The World Water Day (WWD) is observed every year on 22nd March to tackle the global water crisis in households, schools, workplaces and farms. This day is also celebrated as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. an opportunity to learn more about water related issues, be inspired to tell others and take action to make a difference. Water is an essential building block of life. It is more than just essential to quench thirst or protect health; water is vital for creating jobs and supporting economic, social, and human development. The 2019 theme ‘Leaving no one behind’ is the central promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The aim of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) is to ensure availability and sustainable management of water for all by 2030. By definition, this means leaving no one behind.

Notes:
Indian technology company Infosys has signed a three-year partnership agreement with Roland-Garros to provide technology solution for tennis tournament The French Open, also called Roland-Garros. The 3-year deal, running from 2019 to 2021, is aimed at enriching the game by providing fans, players and coaches with a new experience leveraging Infosys’ expertise in digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data and analytics, mobility, virtual and augmented reality. As part of the partnership, Infosys and Roland-Garros will work on several new digitally-enabled experiences. These include a re-imagined fan experience powered by data and analytics, which will enable fans to follow live scores, “feel the pulse” of live matches, delve deeper into match analytics and understand what ultimately influenced the outcome of the match. The tool will be available on the official Roland-Garros website during the tournament.

Notes:
Vice Admiral Karambir Singh has been appointed the next Chief of Naval Staff (CNS). Singh will succeed Admiral Sunil Lanba who retires on May 31. At present, Vice Admiral Singh is serving as the Flag Officer Commanding in Chief of the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam. In his 36-year-old career, Karambir Singh has commanded an Indian Coast Guard Ship, a Naval Missile Corvette as well as Guided Missile Destroyers. The Chief of the Naval Staff is the commander and the highest-ranking officer in the Indian Navy. The position is abbreviated CNS in Indian Navy cables and communication, and usually held by a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral.