Current Affairs Quiz - March 2022

Notes:
A huge white stone from the Iron Age, known as ‘Menhir’, was spotted on the roadside at Ellarigudem, a hamlet of Mahaboobabad district, Telangana.
It was noticed during his survey of archaeological and heritage remains under ‘Preserve Heritage for Posterity’ programme. As per archaeologists, the menhir belongs to the Iron Age (3,500 years old) erected in memory of a dead person.

Notes:
India’s third-largest private sector bank, Axis Bank, has been awarded IFR Asia’s Asian Bank of The Year, to acknowledge its performance in equity and debt issuance.
The bank has also won the ‘Best DCM House in India’ Award at the Finance Asia’s Country Awards, this year. The bank has 4,700 domestic branches (including extension counters) and 11,060 ATMs across the country as on December 31, 2021.

 

Notes:
DBS Bank India has recently announced the launch of its Green Deposit Programme for corporate clients. It aims to provide an easy method for companies to support environmentally friendly projects.
The Green Deposits programme combines all the benefits of a regular fixed deposit with a commitment from DBS Bank to support green and sustainable loans disbursed by the bank.

Notes:
‘Credit guarantee scheme for subordinate debt (CGSSD)’ is implemented by the Ministry of MSME. The Ministry has extended the CGSSD by one more year till March 31, 2023.
The Government created ‘Distressed Assets Fund- – Subordinate Debt for Stressed MSMEs’ in May 2020. CGSSD was launched to provide credit facility through lending institutions to the promoters of stressed MSMEs. The scheme is for SMA-2 and NPA accounts which are eligible for restructuring.

Notes:
Russia is alleged to have a role in the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 that crashed in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region in 2014, when Crimea was annexed by Russian forces.
Recently, amidst the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Australia and the Netherlands are set to launch a new legal case against Russia, regarding the MH17 Crash Case.

Notes:
The retail inflation rate in India, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI)- has been recorded at 6.07% in February 2022.
The figure is as per the data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO). The retail inflation reading has breached the upper limit of the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). In January 2022, the rate rose to 6.01%.

Notes:
World Gold Council recently released a report on ‘Gold Mining in India’, as a part of its series of analysis on the Indian gold market.
As per the report, India’s gold mine production is just 1.6 tonnes as of 2020 and could rise to 20 tonnes per year. Though India is one of the world’s largest consumers of gold, the mining market is on a small scale.

Notes:
Germany has signed the Energy Deal with Qatar as a long-term energy partnership. Russia has been the largest supplier of gas to Germany.
Germany, Europe’s biggest economy is seeking to become less dependent on Russian energy sources, after Russia started to invade Ukraine. Qatar’s Emir and Germany’s Minister also discussed ways to enhance bilateral relations in the energy sector.

Notes:
Governor of Haryana Bandaru Dattatraya and Chief Minister of Haryana Manohar Lal inaugurated the 35th Surajkund International Crafts Mela.
The Mela was first organized in 1987 and this is the 35th Crafts Mela. It helps thousands of craftsperson from across India to showcase their arts. Jammu & Kashmir is the ‘Theme State’ of the Surajkund Crafts Mela 2022.

Notes:
Lamitiye 2022 is the ninth edition of the Joint Military Exercise between the Indian Army and Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF).
The Indian Army contingent arrived in Seychelles for the exercise, to be conducted at the Seychelles Defence Academy (SDA) from March 22 to 31. The Indian Army comprises troops from the 2/3 Gorkha Rifles group (Prikanthi Battalion).