Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2018

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The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has recently launched the first of its kind initiative titled ‘Videsh Aaya Pradesh ke Dwaar’ in Hyderabad, which is a key centre for Telugu and Urdu media. The purpose of the initiative is to create a pool of media professionals interested in foreign policy and guide them on connecting with the MEA. The initiative involves MEA’s engagement with the regional media based in different cities across India who have carved their own space and have a unique and wide readership profile. The event was attended by around 40 Editors and representatives from the main media organisations based in Hyderabad.

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The International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and Transatlantic Slave Trade is observed every year on March 25 to honour and remember those who suffered and died at the hands of the brutal slavery system. The International Day also aims to raise awareness about the dangers of racism and prejudice today. The 2018 theme is “Remember Slavery: Triumphs and Struggles for Freedom and Equality”, which celebrates the gains of people of African descent from slavery to present. It also acknowledges the challenges that have been overcome in the movement towards freedom and equality in all professions.

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The Surat district of Gujarat has become the India’s first district to have 100% solar powered Primary Health Centers (PHCs) to combat the issue of global warming. There are a total of 52 PHCs in the district and all of them are now powered by solar system. This initiative will not only bring down the electricity bill by 40% but also help fight global warming.

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Narendra Singh Tomar, the Union Minister of Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Mines , has inaugurated Saras Aajeevika Mela at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. The SARAS Aajeevika Mela 2018 in New Delhi is an endeavour of Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission. It aims to provide a national platform and an opportunity to the rural women producers to showcase their products and seek buyers, either individuals or bulk buyers for sale nationally or internationally. As part of the 2018 mela, 700 women from 28 states are selling their products in over 350 stalls in the Mela. The Ministry has also released a directory of the products of all the women who will be showcasing their products in the Aajeevika Mela 2018.

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Sebastian Vettel, a German racing driver currently driving in Formula One for Scuderia Ferrari, has won the 2018 Formula One Australian Grand Prix tournament on March 25, 2018 in Melbourne, Victoria. He is a four-time Formula One World Champion, having won the championship in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 with Red Bull Racing. He is regarded by fellow and former drivers as one of the greatest Formula One drivers in the history of the sport.

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The Department of Posts under Ministry of Communications has launched Cool EMS Service between India and Japan, which will come into force from 29.03.2018. It is one-way service from Japan to India which allows customers in India to import Japanese food items for personal use which is allowed under Indian regulations. Initially, Cool EMS Service will be available in Delhi only. Food items will be carried by Japan Post in special cool boxes containing refrigerant to preserve the quality of the food items and addressee will collect them from Foreign Post office, Kotla Road, New Delhi in-person or through a messenger in the prescribed time frame. All other features like track and trace, etc of Express Mail Service (EMS) will be available for Cool EMS service as well.

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Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of 55770 fully covered tribal habitations with the safe drinking water in the country followed by Odisha 52427 , Jharkhand 53476 numbers of habitations. This information was given by the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Jastwantsinh Bhabhor in Lok Sabha on March 28, 2018. Beside this, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS) has informed that under the ‘National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) Scheme, 10% of the total allocation of funds is earmarked to be used for the supply of drinking water to Scheduled Tribe (ST) dominated habitations. States have been directed to take special care for implementation of its scheme / programme in tribal areas and progress thereof is monitored through online integrated management information system (IMIS) of MDWS. The status of availability of drinking water to tribal habitations is available in public domain at www.indiawater.gov.in/IMISReports/.

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The Murrum Silli Dam is an earth-fill embankment dam on the Sillari River, a tributary of the Mahanadi River. It is located in Dhamtari District of Chhattisgarh. It is one of the most prominent architectural marvels in Chhattisgarh.

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The first mega food park of Rajasthan has inaugurated by Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal at Roopangarh village near Ajmer. The Food Park is set up at an investment of Rs 113.57 crore and will benefit around 25 thousand farmers in Ajmer and neighbouring districts. Center has given the Rs 50 crore subsidy for this project. The mega food park would attract an additional investment of about Rs. 250 crore in about 30 food processing units in the park and to a turnover of about Rs 500 crore per annum. The Park is expected to provide employment to around 5 thousand persons. Rajasthan is the fourth largest producer of food grains in India and leader in mustard, guar seed, coriander, groundnut, fennel, soybean, gram, and oilseeds.

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The 17th Sub-junior National Wushu Championship has started in Jammu on March 29, 2018.The national level sports event is being organised in the winter capital city of Jammu by the the Wushu Association of India in collaboration with J&K State Sports Council at MA Stadium. About 37 teams comprising of over one thousand boys and girls from across the country and 12 boys from Army are participating in the national championship.