Daily GK and Current Affairs Quiz – 30th March 2021

Correct Answer: C. HDFC bank

Explanation: HDFC Bank has adjudged the ‘India’s Best Bank for SMEs’ at the Asiamoney Best Bank Awards 2021. In its evaluation, the magazine said on its website – “HDFC Bank’s transformation of its micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) business over the past few years makes it a worthy winner of this award.” The Annual Best Banks survey of the financial magazine based in Hong Kong aims to identify which banks in each market have excelled across a range of core banking activities over the past 12 months.Asiamoney’s award decisions were made by a team of senior journalists after receiving detailed submissions from market participants and in conjunction with research into the banking and capital markets by our editorial committee. Senior editors also visited each country or territory to meet leading bankers and gather client and competitor feedback.

Important Points:

• Headquarters of HDFC Bank: Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• MD and CEO of HDFC Bank: Sashidhar Jagdishan(Succeeds Aditya Puri).
• The tagline of HDFC Bank: We understand your world.

Correct Answer – A. New Zealand

Explanation: New Zealand’s parliament has passed legislation giving mothers and their partners the right to paid leave following a miscarriage or stillbirth, becoming only the second country in the world to do so. India is the only other country with similar legislation. The leave provisions apply to mothers, their partners as well as parents planning to have a child through adoption or surrogacy. One in four New Zealand women has had a miscarriage. The bill will give women and their partners time to come to terms with their loss without having to tap into sick leave. Because their grief is not a sickness, it is a loss. New Zealand was the first country in the world to give voting rights to women and has been a pioneer on issues around woman’s rights.

Important Points: 

• Prime minister of New Zealand: Jacinda Ardern.
• Capital of New Zealand: Wellington.
• The currency of New Zealand: New Zealand dollar.

Correct Answer – A. Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST)

Explanation: The ISRO is embarking on a mission of a different kind by taking the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) to a much higher, futuristic research orbit.The Bengaluru-headquartered space agency is striking a partnership with the IIST — something similar to the JPL- Caltech model in the United States.JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) is federally funded by US space agency NASA and managed by Caltech (California Institute of Technology).To coordinate joint research activities between ISRO centres and IIST, akin to the Caltech-JPL model, a dedicated framework has now been put into place, with CBPO (Capacity Building Programme Office) located at ISRO headquarters in Bangalore as a focal point.An Advanced Space Research Group has been created to identify application-oriented research projects of importance to ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) centres and matching with the interests of IIST faculty.An Empowered Overseeing Committee has been constituted to review and approve the proposals.

Correct Answer – A. Soma Mandal

Explanation: Soma Mondal, the chairperson of the state-owned Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), was on March 26, 2021, elected the new chairperson of the Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE).Mondal will have a two-year term starting April; she took charge of SAIL on January 1, 2021.SCOPE is an apex professional organization representing the Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs).It promotes excellence in organisations where public investment is involved, in order to enable them to be globally competitive.

Correct Answer- A. ‘Indian Health System Expansion in Post-COVID Era’

Explanation: Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan virtually addressed the 7th Annual Summit of ‘NATHEALTH’ organized by NATHEALTH – Healthcare Federation of India which was held between March 25-26, 2021 in a virtual format.Theme of 2021 Annual Summit was ‘Indian Health System Expansion in Post-COVID Era’.Health sector was identified in Budget 2021-22 as one of the 6 main pillars to drive growth.It was allocated INR 2, 23, 846 Crore in the 2021-22 Budget, an increase of 137% over the previous year.Government is taking steps to increase health expenditure as a percentage of GDP to 2.5% by 2025.

Correct Answer – D. 15

Explanation: Indian contingent emerged successful in ISSF World Cup in the Trap events with 30 medals in total (15 gold, 9 silver and 6 bronze).Indian trio of Shreyasi Singh, Manisha Keer and Rajeshwari Kumari won the gold medal in women’s Trap Team event.India outgunned the Kazakhstan trio 6-0 in the final.Men’s Trap Team event: Kynan Chenai, Prithviraj Tondaiman and Lakshay beat the Slovakian team in the gold medal match to make it 30 medals for India in the shooting World Cup.

Correct Answer – E. 93 Gigawatt

Explanation: Global Wind Report 2021 was published by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) in March 2021.As per the report, 2020 was the best year in history for the global wind industry with 93 gigawatt (GW) of new capacity installed, which was a 53 per cent year-on-year increase.According to the report titled ‘Global Wind Report 2021’, at present there is 743 GW of wind power capacity worldwide, helping to avoid over 1.1 billion tonnes of CO2 globally – equivalent to the annual carbon emissions of South America.

Correct Answer – A. National Thermal Power Corporation Limited

Explanation: National Thermal Power Corporation Limited(NTPC), a Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Power has been conferred with the ‘Role Model’ Award at the 11th Confederation of Indian Industry(CII) National HR Excellence Award 2020-21.NTPC is the only PSU to have received this prestigious award.The award was presented at the virtual conference “Learn from the Achievers”.It is the highest level of recognition in the field of Human Resources by CII.This is the second time when the award of Role Model has been conferred to any organization.

Correct Answer – B. Johnson & Johnson

Explanation:  Johnson & Johnson will start delivering its single-shot COVID vaccine to Europe on April 19, 2021.The jab was approved by European Union regulators in mid-March, 2021 following approval of vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca.The 27-nation EU has signed a firm order for 200 million J&J doses and an option for 200 million more.

Correct Answer – C. 40

Explanation: Crypto firm Ripple Labs Inc. is planning to take a 40% stake in Asian cross-border payments specialist Tranglo.The tie-up will help meet the demand for the use of Ripple’s affiliated token XRP in transactions.Tranglo is based in Malaysia and has processed over 20 million transactions totalling $4 billion in value since its inception.

Correct Answer – B. Neelachal Ispat Nigam Ltd

Explanation: The government has received multiple expressions of interest (EoI) for the privatisation of Neelachal Ispat Nigam Ltd (NINL).Earlier, the government had invited bids to privatise NINL seeking to divest 93.7 per cent stake held by four central public sector enterprises including Minerals and Metals Trading Corporation Limited and two Odisha government PSUs.Neelachal Ispat Nigam Limited (NINL) is a company promoted by MMTC Ltd, Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Orissa limited.

Correct Answer – B. Ramban

Explanation: In Jammu and Kashmir, district administration Ramban is taking measures for training of Aapda Mitras in the district.This is being done in order to impart training to the community volunteers in disaster response under National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).Industrial Training Institute (ITI), Ramban has been notified as a training institute under Aapda Mitra Scheme.

Jammu and Kashmir:

• Lieutenant Governor – Manoj Sinha.
• Dams – Baglihar Dam (Chenab River), Dulhasti Dam (Chenab River), Uri-II Dam (Jhelum River).
• National Parks – Dachigam National Park, Salim Ali National Park, Kazinag National Park, Kishtwar High Altitude National Park.

Correct Answer – D. 30 March

Explanation:  Rajasthan Day is celebrated every year on March 30 to commemorate the day on which the state came into existence.Rajasthan earlier known as Rajputana came into existence on 30 March 1949.The state mostly comprises lands of Rajputs including the erstwhile nineteen princely states.It is the largest state of India in terms of the area and also shares borders with Pakistan’s Punjab province.

Correct Answer – B. Dr S Jaishankar

Explanation: External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar attended the 9th Ministerial Conference of Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process on Afghanistan on 30 March 2021 at Dushanbe in Tajikistan.Dr Jaishankar reached Dushanbe on 29 March 2021 on a three-day visit.Dr Jaishankar began his Heart of Asia engagements with a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zari.