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:
Last week, around 22,000 ducks died in Kuttanad and upper Kuttanad, in the state of Kerala. The preliminary tests could not find the certain reason for the deaths.
Recently, the samples of affected birds are to be sent to the National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, to analyse and ascertain the reason.

Notes:
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has recently approved industrial corridor nodes at Andhra Pradesh’s Krishnapatnam and Karnataka’s Tumakuru.
The nodes are approved under the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC). The project cost of the former node is approved at Rs 2139 crores and the latter is Rs 1701 crores. This will create huge employment opportunities, state-of-the-art infrastructure and connectivity.

Notes:
The Indian Army has created a new human rights cell for the first time in the history. Its aims is to provide more transparency and probity in its functioning in disturbed areas like Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast.
Major General Gautam Chauhan has taken charge as the first additional Director General (human rights) and will report directly to the Army vice-chief.

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.

Notes:
India has recently commenced its 2-year tenure as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
To mark this event, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador TS Tirumurti installed the tricolour at UNSC. Four other new incoming non-permanent members are Ireland, Kenya, Mexico and Norway.

Notes:
Over 200 Google engineers and other employees have recently formed a Union in the United States, which is seen as a rare move in the Silicon Valley.
After the increasing demands by Google employees for policy changes on pay, harassment and ethics, the “Alphabet Workers Union” has been formed. It is affiliated with the US-based leading union, the ‘Communications Workers of America’.

Notes:
State-owned research agency, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is to install its eco-friendly bio-digester units across the network operated by Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (MAHA–METRO).
DRDO will provide technical support to implement advanced bio-digester Mk-II technology for treating the human waste in the metro rail network.

Notes:
Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh have become the first states to complete three out of four citizen-centric reforms directed by the Ministry of Finance.
The two states completed the One Nation, One Ration Card reforms, Ease of Doing Business reforms, and Urban Local Bodies reforms. Hence, the Ministry is to provide an additional financial assistance of Rs 1,004 crore for Capital Expenditure.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet approved to use funds from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), for the Angamaly-Azhutha Sabari rail project.
The Railways will undertake the construction and maintenance of the project, while development of station will be through public-private partnership and a special purpose vehicle. The income will be shared between the State Government of Kerala and the Railways after deducting the expenses.