Daily GK and Current Affairs Quiz – 7th & 8th March 2021

Correct Answer: D. DRDO

Explanation: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a successful flight test of Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) technology from the integrated test range (ITR), Chandipur, off Odisha coast. The SFDR technology will help DRDO with the technological advantage to develop long-range air-to-air missiles (AAMs). DRDO began developing SFDR first in 2017 and had conducted successful tests in 2018 and 2019 as well.

About SFDR:

• The SFDR is a missile propulsion system being developed primarily by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) and Research Centre Imarat (RCI) in Hyderabad.
• The High Energy Material Research Laboratory (HEMRL) has developed the nozzle-less booster while the ramjet engine is being developed with Russian assistance.
• The performance of the missile was monitored using the data captured by Electro-Optical, Radar and Telemetry instruments deployed by ITR and confirmed successful demonstration of the mission objectives.

Important Points:

• Secretary Department of Defence Research and Development  & Chairman DRDO: Dr G Satheesh Reddy.
• DRDO Headquarters: New Delhi.
• DRDO Established: 1958.

Correct Answer – E. Axis Securities

Explanation: Axis Securities has announced the launch of ‘YIELD’ – an online platform to buy and sell bonds as well as debentures in the secondary market. By offering competitive rates and technical know-how, YIELD would empower the investors to make the right investment decision. The trades and settlement of transactions executed will be reported on the BSE NDS (new debt segment) platform.

About the YIELD:

• “YIELD is the first-of-its-kind initiative that allows retail investors direct access to the debt instruments,” the brokerage house said in a statement.
• This new tool will remove the hassle of filling up physical forms or the need for separate KYC with the bond institutions, it added.
• To facilitate transactions only insecure options, it aggregates only ‘AAA’ to ‘A’ rated quality debt instruments available for investment in the secondary market.

Important Points:

• Axis Bank Commenced operations: 1994.
• Axis Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• Axis Bank Tagline: Badhti Ka Naam Zindagi Managing.
• Axis Bank MD and CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry.

Correct Answer – A. Jagrut Tripura

Explanation: The Tripura government has come up with a digital platform ‘Jagrut Tripura’ to help people get benefits from various schemes of the Centre and the state government. At least 102 schemes of various departments of both governments are available on the platform. The ‘Jagrut Tripura’ will empower citizens of the northeastern state. The digital platform is one of the many proactive initiatives undertaken by the state government to spur a technology-led innovation ecosystem to make ‘Atmanirbhar’ (self-reliant) Tripura.

The project was developed by EasyGov, a Jio Group company, and it will be available to all the residents of Tripura. “With ‘Jagrut’, we want to empower people to get the benefits they deserve, and the focus is on building a family-centric, progressive model having ‘one data one source’ and privacy at the core.

Important Points:

• Chief Minister of Tripura: Biplab Kumar Deb;
• Governor: Ramesh Bais.

Correct Answer – B. Chenab

Explanation: The first-ever white water rafting festival was organized by Bhaderwah Development Authority and JK Adventure Group in the river Chenab at Premnagar Shibnote on 5 March 2021.The event was organized to promote adventure tourism in the Union Territory of J&K.Over 1500 people from across the district attended the festival on day 1, two-day festival culminated on 6 March 2021.

Correct Answer – B. Tashnuva Anan Shishir

Explanation:  A private news channel has appointed Bangladesh’s first transgender news presenter.’Tashnuva Anan Shishir’ will start presenting news for Boishakhi TV from the International Women’s Day on March 8.The TV channel has appointed another transgender ‘Nusrat Mau’ as one of the main characters for the regular drama section of the TV channel’s entertainment wing.

Correct Answer – C. Uttarakhand

Explanation: Scientists from the Raman Research Institute have developed a platform to detect the effect of prolonged alcohol exposure on red blood cells through high-resolution measurements of their size.The high-resolution platform that shows the reduction in size of RBCs on alcohol exposure can be tuned for a point-of-care screening of multiple conditions that alter count of RBCs in the blood.Scientists led by Professor Gautam Soni from Raman Research Institute (RRI), an institution funded by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), have developed custom-made electro-fluidic platform that can detect the change by measuring the cell size in enhanced resolution.

Correct Answer – D. Agra

Explanation: Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the new research building ‘Desikan Bhawan’ on 6 March 2021 at ICMR-NJIL and OMD, Agra.The building is dedicated to research facilities like animal experimentation, COVID-19 diagnosis, whole-genome sequencing, etc.The capacity of COVID-19 Diagnostic Laboratory is around 1200 samples per day.

Correct Answer – D. 27

Explanation: UP CM Yogi Adityanath on 6 March 2021 inaugurated 27 power substations developed at a cost of Rs 1,920 cr by UP Power Transmission Corporation Limited (UPPTCL).He informed that electricity is being provided to farmers of the state and it has helped reduce the cost of farming and improve productivity.Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya and UP Power Minister Shrikant Sharma were also present.

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

Correct Answer – A. India

Explanation: Defence Research and Development Organisation has successfully carried out joint user trials of indigenously developed Helina and Dhruvastra Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM) from the Advanced Light Helicopter at the Pokhran deserts in Rajasthan.

• Helena is the Army version and Dhruvastra is the Air Force version of the ALH.

• The missile systems have been designed and developed indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Correct Answer – C. 1st Dec 2025

Explanation: The Reserve Bank of India came out with a slew of directions related to maintenance of liquidity coverage ratio, risk management, asset classification and loan-to-value ratio, among others, for housing finance companies.These directions, which shall come into force with an immediate effect and it will be applicable to all the housing finance companies registered under section 29A of the National Housing Bank Act 1987.HFCs are mandated to maintain a liquidity buffer in terms of liquidity coverage ratio (LCR). This will help to have sufficient high-quality liquid asset (HQLA) to survive an acute liquidity stress scenario lasting for 30 days. Therefore, the non-deposit taking HFCs with an asset size of Rs 10,000 crore and above, and all deposit-taking HFCs irrespective of their asset size will have to maintain a minimum LCR of 50% by 1st Dec 2021 and to 100% by 1st Dec 2025.

Correct Answer – C. Telangana

Explanation: The Cyberabad Police has launched India’s first-ever Transgender Community Desk’ at the Gachibowli Police Station in Hyderabad, Telangana. This desk is the first-of-its-kind gender-inclusive community policing initiatives in the country. The desk was formally inaugurated on Saturday by Cyberabad Police chief VC Sajjanar in a ceremony that was attended by over 200 transgender people.Earlier in 2014, the Supreme Court recognised the transgender community as a third gender along with male and female and ruled that they have equal privilege over the fundamental rights enshrined in the Indian Constitution.

About the Transgender Community Desk:

• It is the world’s first-ever help desk for the transgender community and it will be managed by a Police Liaison Officer and a member of the transgender community who is designated as a community coordinator.
• It will also be the focal point for all grievance redressal among the transgender community in Cyberabad Commissionerate.

Benefits of the Desk:

• The transgender desk will provide support to file cases in offences related to violence or discrimination against any transgender person.
• Among other services, the desk will also provide counselling, legal aid, life-skills, soft skills training, job placements, and referral linkages to welfare schemes in partnership with the Department of Women & Child Welfare and District Legal Services Authority.
• The Society for Cyberabad Security Council will organise monthly employability training and life-skill training and facilitate access to job opportunities. Prajwala will assist the desk to facilitate safe space for any transgender person who needs an emergency transit stay.

Important Points:

• Chief Minister of Telangana: K Chandrasekhar Rao; Governor: Tamilisai Soundararajan

Correct Answer – A. Naureen Hassan

Explanation: Indian-origin Naureen Hassan has been appointed as the first Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the New York-based Federal Reserve Bank, by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Hassan, whose parents had immigrated from India, is a 25-year veteran of the financial services industry with expertise in strategy, digital transformation, cybersecurity and regulatory/risk management.

With this new role, Hassan will become the second-highest-ranking officer of the New York Fed as well as an alternate voting member of the Federal Open Market Committee. Prior to this, she was the Chief Digital Officer for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management (MSWM). She will take over the new role with effect from March 15, 2021.

Important Points:

• CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank: John C. Williams.
• Federal Reserve BankChairperson: Jerome Powell.
• Federal Reserve Bank Founded: 23 December 1913.
• Federal Reserve Bank HQ: New York, United States.

Correct Answer – D. 8th March

Explanation: International Women’s Day is celebrated on the 8th of March every year. This day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women, who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities.

Theme of the day:

This year’s theme for International Women Day, “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world”, celebrates the tremendous efforts by women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Women stand at the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis, as health care workers, caregivers, innovators, community organizers and as some of the most exemplary and effective national leaders in combating the pandemic. The crisis has highlighted both the centrality of their contributions and the disproportionate burdens that women carry.

History of International Women’s Day

The United Nations began celebrating International Women’s Day in the International Women’s Year, 1975. In 1977, the United Nations General Assembly invited member states to proclaim March 8 as the UN Day for women’s rights and world peace.

Important Points:

• Secretary-General of United Nations: Antonio Guterres.
• United Nations founded: 24 October 1945.
• Headquarters of United Nations: New York, United States.

Correct Answer: C. Businessman

Explanation: M G George Muthoot, the Chairman and Whole Time Director of The Muthoot Group, has passed away. He was the mentor and visionary leader who played a pivotal leadership role through his long career in building one of the most trusted financial powerhouses in the country.

Mr George became the managing director of Muthoot Group in 1979 and its chairman in 1993. Muthoot Finance Ltd is one the largest gold loan NBFCs in India, headquartered in Kochi, Kerala.

Correct Answer: C. Tamil Nadu

Explanation: Apple Inc. will manufacture Made-In-India iPhone 12 soon.Its latest model was launched in India on October 30, 2020.iPhone 12 will be manufactured at the Hon Hai Precision Industry (Foxconn) facility in Tamil Nadu, both for the domestic as well as export market.The unit also manufactures iPhone 11, which is the bestseller in India, as well as iPhone XR.

Correct Answer: D. 14

Explanation: The Board of Control for Cricket in India, BCCI has announced the schedule for the 14th edition Indian Premier League 2021 to be held in India.It will be held from April 9, 2021, with the first match between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore.The world’s largest cricket stadium – Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will host the final on 30th May 2021.

Correct Answer: C. 9

Explanation: Bangladesh has announced the names of 9 individuals and 1 organization for conferring the Independence Award, the highest civilian award of Bangladesh for the year 2021.Four individuals have been selected posthumously for the award.The award is being given since 1977.The recipients of the award get a gold medal and a cash reward of Taka 5 lakh.

Bangladesh: 

• Capital – Dhaka.
• Currency – Bangladeshi Taka.
• President – Abdul Hamid.

Correct Answer: B. 29 January 2021

Explanation: The second part of the Budget Session of Parliament commenced on 8 March 2021.In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Rajya Sabha sat from 9 AM to 2 PM, while the Lok Sabha will function between 4 PM and 9 PM.The second leg of the session will conclude on 8 April 2021.The first part of the Budget Session had started on 29th January 2021.

Correct Answer: C. Tamil Nadu

Explanation: Apple Inc. will manufacture Made-In-India iPhone 12 soon.Its latest model was launched in India on October 30, 2020.iPhone 12 will be manufactured at the Hon Hai Precision Industry (Foxconn) facility in Tamil Nadu, both for the domestic as well as export market.The unit also manufactures iPhone 11, which is the bestseller in India, as well as iPhone XR.