Daily GK and Current Affairs Quiz – 28th & 29th March 2021

Correct Answer: D. Brussels, Belgium

Explanation: Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the year 2020 was the best year in history for the global wind industry as this sector installed 93GW of new capacity in 2020, according to a new report titled ‘Global Wind Report 2021, released by the Global Wind Energy Council. This is the 16th annual flagship report, released by GWEC on March 25, 2021. The 93GW represents a 53% year-on-year increase.

As per the report:

The global wind power market increased four times in size over the past decade but the record growth was seen in 2020.This increase was driven by a surge of installations in China and the US alone.Together, the US and China installed 75% of new installations in 2020 and account for over half of the world’s total wind power capacity.In the current scenario, 743GW of wind power capacity has been installed worldwide, which is helping to avoid over 1.1 billion tonnes of CO2 annually.However, GWEC’s report shows that the current rate of wind power installed will not be enough to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.The world needs to install a minimum of 180 GW of new wind energy every single year to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.Similarly, it will need to increase the capacity to 280GW annually to meet the net-zero emission target by 2050.

Important Points:

• Global Wind Energy Council Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium;
• Global Wind Energy Council CEO: Ben Backwell;
• Global Wind Energy Council Founded: 2005.

Correct Answer – E. Mahinder Giri

Explanation: Mahinder Giri, range officer of Rajaji Tiger Reserve for being the only ranger from Asia to win the prestigious International Ranger Award for his contribution towards conservation. The award has been announced for 10 professionals across the world by the International Union for Conservation of Nature IUCN and World Commission on Protected Areas WCPA.Developed through a collaboration between the IUCN WCPA, the International Ranger Federation, Global Wildlife Conservation, and Conservation Allies, these awards, created in 2020, aim to highlight and felicitate the extraordinary work that rangers do in protected and conserved areas worldwide.

Correct Answer – D. 11%

Explanation: S&P Global Ratings raised India’s growth forecast for the financial year 2021-22 to 11% from 10% earlier, led by an expansionary fiscal policy aimed at boosting domestic private spending. It has also raised the 2021 growth forecast for China to 8% from 7% on stronger-than-expected exports and lingering momentum in the property market.

Important Points:

• S&P Global Ratings Headquarters: New York, United States.
• President of S&P Global Ratings: John Berisford.

Correct Answer – C. Uttar Pradesh

Explanation: Uttar Pradesh government was organised a ‘Banana Festival’ in Kushinagar, which has witnessed the participation of at least 35 farmers and entrepreneurs. The state government had in 2018 organised the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme to promote traditional enterprise.Noting the good cultivation of bananas in Kushinagar, products in the district made from banana fibre were selected in the ODOP scheme. At least 4,000 farmers are linked to banana cultivation and after inclusion in the ODOP scheme, around 500 people are employed in its processing. There are three banana fibre processing units in the district and the construction of a Common Facility Centre (CFC) is also planned.

Important Points:

• Uttar Pradesh Capital: Lucknow.
• Uttar Pradesh Governor: Anandiben Patel.
• Uttar Pradesh Chief minister: Yogi Adityanath.

Correct Answer- B. Ever Given

Explanation: The giant container ship “Ever Given” that blocked traffic in the Suez Canal for the last week resumed its journey, after being successfully refloated. The efforts to float the delinquent Panamanian container ship Ever Given are successful. The 1,400-foot-long cargo ship jammed diagonally across a southern section of the Suez Canal, leaving a total of 367 ships, including dozens of container ships and bulk carriers, unable to use the key trading route.

Correct Answer – C. Nagaland

Explanation: Nagaland Health and Family Welfare Minister, S Pangnyu Phom has launched i-Learn, a capacity building and performance tracking application for Community Health Officers, CHOs in the state at his office chamber in Kohima. The state government launched the i-Learn application in partnership with USAID-NISHTHA/Jgpiego which will cater across the 189 Health & wellness centres in the state.

About the “i-Learn”:

i-Learn is a learning management system for CHOs with self-facilitated learning for improving and learning new skills in clinical and non-clinical areas.The state is committed to defeating the pandemic and as such it has rolled out several interventions including digital technology like the Naga Telehealth services.The Naga Telehealth, a telemedicine platform launched just about six months ago has received a good response from the state’s own medical doctors and CHOs wherein more than 1000 teleconsultations have been conducted.

Important Points:

• Chief Minister of Nagaland: Neiphiu Rio; Governor of Nagaland: R. N. Ravi.

Correct Answer – A. Financial inclusion and literacy

Explanation: Former Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor, KC Chakrabarty passed away. He was the deputy governor of the central bank between 15 June 2009 and 25 April 2014 when he demitted office three months before his term was to end. Prior to the stint, he had served as the chairman and managing director (CMD) of Punjab National Bank (2007-2009), and CMD of Indian Bank (2005-2007). Chakrabarty started his career as a banker with the Bank of Baroda where his last assignment was to head the UK operations of the bank between 2001 and 2004. Chakrabarty, who had spent nearly four decades across multiple public sector banks, often spoke his mind on critical issues concerning the banking sector. He was also famous for his wit and sharp retorts.

Correct Answer – B. 10 Years

Explanation: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) relaxed the norms for valuing perpetual bonds.The norms, which had sought to value banks’ deemed residual maturity of Basel III additional tier 1 (AT1) bonds as 100-year debt from April 1, were strongly opposed by the finance ministry.In a statement, the regulator said the maturity would be 10 years until March 31, 2022, and would be increased to 20 and 30 years over the subsequent six-month period.And from April 2023 onwards, the residual maturity of AT1 bonds will become 100 years from the date of issuance of the bond.

Correct Answer – A. Screen Writer

Explanation:  Noted writer-filmmaker Sagar Sarhadi, known for films like ‘Kabhi Kabhie’, ‘Silsila’, and ‘Bazaar’, passed away late Sunday night following a brief illness.Sarhadi began his career writing Urdu short stories and became an Urdu playwright. Filmmaker Yash Chopra’s 1976 film ‘Kabhi Kabhie’, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Raakhee, opened the gates to his Bollywood career.The writer collaborated with Chopra for screenplays in acclaimed films like ‘Silsila’ (1981) and Sridevi and Rishi Kapoor-starrer “Chandni”, for which he wrote the dialogues.In 1982, Sarhadi turned director with ‘Bazaar’, starring Supriya Pathak Kapur, Farooq Shaikh, Smita Patil and Naseeruddin Shah.

Correct Answer – A. Jharkhand

Explanation: The Jharkhand govt launched the SAAMAR (Strategic Action for Alleviation of Malnutrition and Anemia Reduction) campaign to tackle malnutrition.Aim of the campaign is to identify anaemic women and malnourished children and converge various departments to effectively deal with the problem in a state.The state govt. runs various schemes under Child Development Schemes, National Nutrition Mission among others to deal with the situation.

Correct Answer – C. Hardeep Singh Puri

Explanation: Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri on 27 March 2021 announced the complete disinvestment of Air India.Air India is a first-rate asset but has an accumulated debt of Rs 60,000 Crore.The government has started the process to sell its entire 100 per cent stake in Air India that has been in losses since it merged with Indian Airlines in 2007.

Correct Answer – C. Gorakhpur

Explanation: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath inaugurated Shaheed Ashfaq Ulla Khan Zoological Park in Gorakhpur on 27 March 2021.This is the 1st zoo in Purvanchal and 3rd in the state.The zoo has been named after great freedom fighter Shaheed Ashfaq Ullah Khan.The zoo also has 7D theatre with state-of-the-art facilities where audience will experience 13 effects, such as rain, lightning, fog & fragrance.

Uttar Pradesh:

• Chief Minister – Yogi Adityanath.
• Governor – Anandiben Patel.
• Number of Districts – 75.

Correct Answer – A. China

Explanation:  Iran and China signed a 25-year cooperation agreement on 27 March 2021.The agreement was signed between Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.China, Iran’s largest trading partner and a long-standing ally, agreed in 2016 to boost bilateral trade by more than 10 times to $600 billion over a decade.

China:

• Capital – Beijing.
• Currency – Chinese Yuan.
• President – Xi Jinping.
• National Sport – Table Tennis.

Correct Answer – D. IDBI Bank

Explanation: The Board of IDBI Bank on 26 March 2021 approved the Rupee Bond Borrowing limit of Rs. 8000 crore for FY 2021-22.It is to be borrowed in one or more tranches comprising of Additional Tier I (AT-1) Bonds up to ₹3000 crores and Senior/Infrastructure Bonds up to ₹1000 crores by way of private placement during FY 2021-22.On March 10, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) removed IDBI Bank from its prompt corrective action (PCA) framework, which was imposed in May 2017, after it had breached certain regulatory thresholds, including capital adequacy, asset quality and profitability.

Correct Answer: A. 1 lakh

Explanation: As a mark of friendship and strong ties between New Delhi and Kathmandu, India has sent 1 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccines for the Nepal Army.The nine packages of Covishield vaccines, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) arrived in Kathmandu on 28 March 2021.Earlier in March 2021, Nepal received 348,000 doses of made-in-India COVID vaccines under the COVAX initiative.

Nepal:

• Capital – Kathmandu.
• Currency – Nepalese rupee.
• President – Bidhya Devi Bhandari.
• Prime Minister – KP Sharma Oli.

Correct Answer – B. Tamil Nadu

Explanation: Tamil Nadu’s Bhavani Devi, the 1st Indian fencer to qualify for the Olympics, was felicitated by Indian Fencing Association.The 27-year-old qualified for the Tokyo Olympics through the  Adjusted Official Ranking (AOR) method.In March 2021 ending, Bhavani storms into semifinals of the Women’s sabre individual competition in the 31st Senior National Fencing Championships at Delhi Public School.

Tamil Nadu:

• Chief Minister – Edappadi K. Palaniswami.
• Governor – Banwarilal Purohit.
• Lok Sabha seats – 39.
• Rajya Sabha seats – 18.

Correct Answer – B. 150

Explanation: Cochin Shipyard Ltd. has delivered MV ‘Sindhu’, passengers cum Cargo Vessel built indigenously for Andaman & Nicobar.MV ‘Sindhu’ Cargo Vessel has a capacity of 150 metric tonnes or 500 pax passengers.The Protocol signing & handing over ceremony was held on board the vessel.

Correct Answer – B. Gokulam Kerala

Explanation: Gokulam Kerala won the I-League title as it defeated TRAU 4-1 in the final match of the season in Kolkata.Gokulam as an I-League champion has qualified for the group stage of the AFC Cup next season, Asia’s second-tier club competition.They also became the first club from Kerala side to win the I-League title.

Correct Answer- C. JP Morgan

Explanation: State Bank of India (SBI) has tied up with J.P. Morgan for Liink, peer-to-peer blockchain-based data network.The partnership will help SBI increase the speed of customer transactions, including cross-border payments, and lower the costs.