Current Affairs Quiz 18th March 2024 Quiz

Exp. Government launches alternate Auto Fuel Ethanol100

Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri has launched Ethanol100, an alternate auto fuel in New Delhi.

Ethanol100, a cleaner and greener alternative to gasoline, is a blend of 92 to 94 percent ethanol, 4 to 5 percent motor spirit to provide colour to flame and 1.5 percent Co-solvent higher saturated alcohol.

The fuel produces lower emissions of greenhouse gases, a reduction by around 63% on well to wheel basis.

Ethanol100 will help to mitigate the impacts of climate change and improve air quality. Prominent two-wheeler manufacturers are already undertaking trials for Ethanol100 compliant vehicles.

As part of a pilot initiative, Indian Oil is rolling out Ethanol100 at 183 retail outlets across ethanol-rich states of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Delhi.  It plans to make Ethanol100 available at 400 retail outlets in these states in a phased manner.

Exp. India & Singapore sign MoU on Law and Dispute Resolution

India and Singapore have signed a MoU on cooperation in the sphere of law and dispute resolution.

This agreement will further enhance the cooperation between the two countries in areas of common interest such as international commercial dispute resolution.

The agreement was signed in a virtual meeting of the Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal and Singapore Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Mr. Edwin Tong.

This initiative signifies the Government’s collective commitment to deepening collaboration in the field of law and dispute resolution, with a focus on sharing best practices, exchanging expertise, and facilitating capacity-building initiatives for the stakeholders.

Recently India signed MoUs with others countries

• India and Bhutan signed MoU in the field of Energy Efficiency and Energy Conservation Measures

• India and Dominican Republic signs protocol for establishment of Joint Economic and Trade Committee
• India and Colombia signed MoU on Cooperation in the field of Sharing Successful Digital Solutions
• India and Oman signed MoU on defence sector
• India and Oman signed MoU on IT Cooperation
• India and Cuba signed an MoU on digital public infrastructure collaboration

Exp. EC announces Para Archer Sheetal Devi as National PwD icon

Election Commission has announced Para Archer and Arjuna Awardee, Sheetal Devi as its National PwD Icon.

Her name was announced at an Exhibition Cricket Match between the Indian Deaf Cricket Association Team and the Delhi and District Cricket Association team in Delhi.

The match was organised by the Election Commission in association with the Board of Control for Cricket in India to foster voter education and inclusivity.

On the occasion, the Commission launched a dedicated Voter’s Guide for PwDs and Senior Citizen Electors. The comprehensive booklet outlines essential provisions available to PwDs and senior citizens, including infrastructural, informative, and procedural details at polling stations.

Exp. NK Sehgal becomes new chairman of Prasar Bharati

The Central Government has appointed retired bureaucrat Navneet Kumar Sehgal the new Chairman of Prasar Bharati.

The chairperson’s post has been vacant since A Surya Prakash reached the mandatory retirement age of 70 in February 2020.

Navneet Sehgal has become the seventh president of Prasar Bharati.

Sehgal is a retired IAS officer of the 1988 batch from the Uttar Pradesh cadre. He is known for playing a significant role in UP’s global investor summit.

About Prasar Bharati

• Prasar Bharati is a statutory autonomous body.
• Prasar Bharati, India’s public service broadcaster, was established under the Prasar Bharati Act, 1990. It was established on November 23, 1997.
• The main objective of Prasar Bharati Corporation is to provide autonomy to Doordarshan and All India Radio. So that ‘the public can be educated as well as entertained’.
• Akashvani (All India Radio – Radio Network) and Doordarshan (Television Network) are its major components.

Exp. SANY India signs MoU with J&K Bank to give finance solution

SANY India, a leading manufacturer of construction equipment, has taken a significant stride towards offering improved financial solutions to its customers.

The company has formalized a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with J&K Bank, aiming to stimulate substantial growth and development opportunities within the region, while facilitating easier access to SANY India’s advanced product line along with readily available financial solutions.

This collaboration between SANY India and J&K Bank is strategically designed to leverage the strengths of both entities, providing comprehensive financial solutions to customers, including competitive interest rates and flexible repayment plans, to support the procurement of essential machinery for infrastructure projects.

Recent MoUs Signed in Banking Sector

• L&T Finance Holdings Ltd signed a financing pact with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for $125 million to support financing in rural and peri-urban areas in India, particularly women borrowers
• SBI partners with Aurionpro Solutions for its transaction banking platform
• Easy Trip Planners partners with Ministry of Rural Development to empower self-help groups
• Jana SFB partnered with Dvara Money for digital banking
• IREDA and PNB join hands to Co-Finance Renewable Energy Projects

Exp. Kotak Bank appoints Jaideep Hansraj as President of ‘One Kotak’

Kotak Mahindra Bank has appointed Kotak Securities MD and CEO Jaideep Hansraj as Group President – One Kotak, with effect from 1 April 2024.

This marks a pivotal move towards leveraging the Group’s financial conglomerate model and delivering holistic propositions to customers.

Jaideep will spearhead a cultural shift towards driving collaboration to unlock internal synergies across the Bank and its subsidiaries.

Recent Appointment in Banking & Insurance Sector

• Part time Chairman of Tamilnad Mercantile Bank Ltd – Ravindran
• MD & CEO of Jana Small Finance Bank – Ajay Kanwal
• Chairperson & Independent Director of PayU – Renu Sud Karnad
• MD & CEO of SBM Bank India – Ashish Vijayakar (for 3 years)
• Non official Director of Bank of India (BOI) – M R Kumar (3 years)

Exp. Rahul Singh appointed as new chief of CBSE

The Central Government has appointed senior IAS officer Rahul Singh the Chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

Rahul Singh will replace Nidhi Chiber in this post because Nidhi Chiber has recently been made an advisor in NITI Aayog.

Singh, a 1996-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Bihar cadre, is currently serving as the Additional Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

Recent Appointment

• CMD of Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL) – B Sairam
• Foreign Secretary – Vinay Mohan Kwatra (tenure extended for 6 months)
• DG of Indian Sugar & Bio-energy Manufacturers Association – Deepak Ballani
• CM of Haryana – Nayab Singh Saini (replace Manohar Lal Khattar)
• Vigilance Commissioner – AS Rajeev

Exp.  Uday Bhatia & Manasi Gupta honoured with Diana Memorial Award

India’s Uday Bhatia and Manasi Gupta were honored with the ‘Diana Memorial Award’.

Along with them, a total of 20 people from the world were honored with the ‘Diana Memorial Award’.

Uday Bhatia, founder of Uday Electric, and Manasi Gupta, founder of Huesofthemind Foundation, received their awards from Prince William, the older son of Princess Diana, at an awards ceremony in London’s Science Museum.

About Uday Bhatia

• Uday Bhatia is an inventor from Delhi. Uday Electric, founded by 18-year-old Uday Bhatia, is headquartered in Delhi. Uday’s low-cost invention can provide relief from power cuts.
• He made a unique invention to deal with the electricity crisis. This can provide uninterrupted lighting for 10 hours during power cuts.
• His invention provided continuous electricity to 950 families and increased their education and employment opportunities.

About Manasi Gupta

• Manasi Gupta is a mental health campaigner from Haryana.
• Huesothemind Foundation, founded by Manasi Gupta, is headquartered in Gurugram.
• During the Corona pandemic, 24-year-old Manasi Gupta’s mental health services were appreciated and she got a different recognition.

Recent Awards

• Chameli Devi Jain Award 2024 – Greeshma Kuthar (independent journalist) & Ritika Chopra (Indian Express)
• IAA Golden Compass Award 2024 – Srinivasan Swamy
• Erasmus Prize 2024 – Amitav Ghosh (For highlighting the climate change crisis
• Measles and Rubella Champion Award – India
• National Youth Parliament Festival 2024 – Yatin Bhaskar Duggal (First prize); Vaishna Pitchai (Second); Kanishka Sharma (Third)

Exp. Defence Ministry contract with HAL for upgrade of 25 Dornier aircraft

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a contract worth ₹2,890 crore with the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the midlife upgrade of 25 Dornier patrol aircraft of the Indian Navy.

The midlife upgrade for Dornier aircraft includes an upgrade to incorporate state-of-the art avionics systems and primary role sensors.

The upgrade would significantly enhance the operational capability of the Dornier aircraft of the Indian Navy to perform primary roles of maritime surveillance, coastal surveillance, electronic intelligence and development of maritime domain awareness.

Exp. Indian Army contingent departs for Seychelles for Exercise “LAMITIYE-2024”

A contingent from the Indian Army embarked on a journey to Seychelles to participate in the Tenth edition of the Joint Military Exercise “LAMITIYE-2024” alongside the Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF).

Scheduled to take place from March 18th to 27th, this biennial training event holds significant importance in fostering cooperation between the two nations.

The term ‘LAMITIYE’, translating to ‘Friendship’ in the Creole language, encapsulates the spirit of camaraderie underlying this exercise, which has been a tradition since its inception in 2001.

With 45 personnel each from the renowned GORKHA RIFLES of the Indian Army and the Seychelles Defence Forces, the exercise aims to bolster interoperability in Sub-conventional Operations within Semi-Urban environments, aligning with Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter on Peacekeeping Operations.

Recent Exercise

• 5th edition of Military Exercise ‘Dharama Guardian’ between India and Japan – Mahajan Field Firing Ranges, Rajasthan
• 12th edition of MILAN Naval Exercise – Visakhapatnam
• Indian Air Force Conduct Exercise Vayu Shakti-2024 – Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
• 1st edition of Military Exercise – SADA TANSEEQ between India & Saudi Arabia – Rajasthan
• Desert Knight Exercise between India, France, UAE – over Arabian Sea

Exp. Army raises helicopter unit at Jodhpur to induct Apache attack choppers

The Indian Army has raised its first squadron of Apache attack helicopters in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur with the aim of supporting ground operations near the Pakistan border.

Developed by the US aviation giant Boeing, Apache choppers are known as the ‘tanks in the air’.

They are advanced multi-mission helicopters with the latest technology and have come to be known the best attack helicopters in the world.

These advanced attack helicopters are expected to land at the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Hindon Air Force Station and then will be deployed in Jodhpur, near the India-Pakistan border.

These high-end choppers are under manufacturing units in the US and reach Jodhpur by May this year.

Exp. Matthew Wade retires from first-class cricket

Australia keeper Matthew Wade has announced his decision to retire from first-class cricket.

The left-hand batter stated that he will continue to feature in shorter formats of the game.

The 36-year-old announced his decision just before the upcoming Sheffield Shield final, marking his 166th and final first-class match as Tasmania takes on Western Australia.

Wade has been a crucial part of Australia’s T20I squad, having scored 1175 runs from 64 innings since his debut back in 2011.

Recently Retired Players

• Neil Wagner (New Zealand) – International cricket
• Manoj Tiwary (West Bengal) – All forms of cricket
• Heinrich Klaasen (South Africa) – Test cricket
• David Warner (Australia) – International ODI & Test
• Dean Elgar (South Africa) – International cricket
• Asad Shafiq (Pakistan) – All forms of cricket

Statements

(i) Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) beat Delhi Capitals in WPL 2024 (Correct)

(ii) Orange Cap won by Ellyse Perry from RCB (Correct)

(iii) Purple Cap won by Shreyanka Patil from RCB (Incorrect)

(iv) Most Valuable Player award won by Deepti Sharma from UP Warriorz (Incorrect)

(v) Most Sixes of the Season award won by Shafali Verma from DC (Incorrect)

Exp. RCB triumphs over Delhi Capitals in WPL 2024 final

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) beat Delhi Capitals in the final of the 2024 Women’s Premier League to break their 16-year-long trophy drought.

RCB defeated DC by eight wickets to lift the WPL trophy at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.

RCB made easy work of their 114-run chase against DC to lift their maiden WPL title. A wonderful first innings performance from RCB’s spin-attack helped them clinch their first-ever trophy as a franchise.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Captain – Smriti Mandhana

Delhi Capitals (DC) Captain – Meg Lanning (Australia)

Other Awards

Exp. 18 March – Ordnance Factories Day

Ordnance Factories Day is observed every year on March 18.

Indian Ordnance Factories play an important role in safeguarding us and providing strength to the Indian Armed Forces.

Indian Ordnance Factories provide arms and ammunition to the Indian Armed Forces, in turn providing them strength to protect us with more zeal and determination.

During the British rule in India, the British East India Company realised the growing demands of arms and ammunition for the British army in India.

In 1775, the Board of Ordnance was formed in Fort William, Kolkata.

In 1787, a gunpowder factory was formed in Ishapore and a gun carriage factory was formed in Cossipore, Kolkata. Now it’s known as Gun and Shell Factory, Cossipore.

After India gained independence in 1947, the Ordnance Factories were placed under the control of the Indian Government.  

Exp. Renowned Rabindra Sangeet Singer Sadi Mohammad Passes Away

Sadi Mohammad, a legendary Rabindra Sangeet singer, has passed away at the age of 70.

Sadi Mohammad completed his bachelor’s and master’s in Rabindra Sangeet from the Visva-Bharati University in India and is the son of Liberation War martyr Salimullah and Jebunnesa Salim Ullah.

Sadi served as the director of the cultural organisation Rabi Raag. His death has cast a grim shadow in Bangladesh’s cultural sphere.

In 2017, Mohammad was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by Channel.

He received the Rabindra Award from the Bangla Academy in 2025.