Daily Current Affairs Quiz: March 21, 2025

Answer: b)

• World Forestry Day, also known as the International Day of Forests, is observed on March 21, 2025, to raise awareness about the importance of forests in sustaining life and maintaining environmental balance.
• Theme: “Forests and Foods”
• Key Focus Areas: Forest conservation,Afforestation efforts&Sustainable forest management

Answer: c)

• Lip-Bu Tan appointed as Intel’s CEO, effective March 18, 2025, succeeding interim Co-CEOs David Zinsner and Michelle Johnston Holthaus.
• Intel Corporation: Key Facts
• Founded: July 18, 1968
• Founders: Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore
• Headquarters: Santa Clara, California, USA
• Industry: Semiconductors & Technology
• Stock Symbol: INTC (NASDAQ)

Answer: b)

• Appointment: Former Indian cricket captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth has been named Goodwill Ambassador of VISION 2020 India.
• Objective: The initiative aims to eliminate avoidable blindness by raising awareness and improving eye care accessibility.
• Event: The announcement took place at Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, a key partner of Vision 2020: The Right to Sight-India.

Answer: a)

• US President Donald Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act to deport individuals linked to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua—the first use since World War II.

About the Alien Enemies Act

• Enacted in 1798 as part of the Alien and Sedition Acts.
• Grants the President power to detain or deport non-citizens from enemy nations during declared wars or invasions.
• Allows deportations without court hearings, raising concerns over constitutional rights.

Key Provisions

• Applies to non-citizens aged 14 and older from hostile nations.
• No judicial oversight, leading to debates over due process and equal protection.

Historical Usage

• First applied during the War of 1812 against British nationals.
• Used in World War I & II to detain/deport Japanese, German, and Italian nationals.

Answer: c)

• India’s goods trade deficit fell to a 42-month low of $14.05 billion in February 2025, as per the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• The decline is attributed to reduced imports of gold, silver, and crude oil, alongside an overall contraction in imports.

Key Factors Behind the Decline

• Reduced Gold & Silver Imports: Fell to $2.7 billion, the lowest since June 2024.
• Lower Crude Oil Imports: Valued at $11.89 billion, marking a 30% YoY reduction due to falling global crude prices and lower domestic demand.
• Overall Import Contraction: Total imports dropped to a 22-month low of $50.9 billion, reflecting a 16.3% decline YoY across key sectors like precious stones and coal.

Implications for the Economy

• Strengthened Trade Position: Narrowing deficit improves India’s trade balance and economic stability.
• Currency Stability: Lower deficit reduces pressure on the Indian Rupee, helping maintain currency stability.
• Policy Effectiveness: Indicates success of government policies promoting self-reliance and reducing import dependency.

Answer: d)

• India has identified the Northeast region as the next saffron cultivation hub under the Mission Saffron Initiative, aiming to expand saffron farming beyond Jammu & Kashmir’s Pampore.

Mission Saffron Initiative

• Launched: 2010-11 (Initially for Jammu & Kashmir).
• Objective: Promote saffron cultivation with financial, technical, and infrastructural support.
• Expansion: Since 2021, extended to the Northeast (Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya) under the “Saffron Bowl Project” by NECTAR.

Reason for Expansion:

• Northeast has suitable agro-climatic conditions for saffron farming.
• Expansion ensures better supply and price stability.
• Current Saffron Production in India
• Kashmir saffron (grown in Pampore, Pulwama, and Budgam) holds a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
• India’s production is limited, requiring imports to meet demand.
• North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR)

Established: 2014

• Governing Body: Autonomous institute under DST, Government of India

Functions:

• Promotes technology-driven solutions for agriculture, infrastructure, and economic growth in the Northeast.
• Implementing agency for the Saffron Bowl Project.

Answer: b)

• A new study by the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad, found that water-ice on the Moon is more accessible than previously thought.
• Based on Chandrayaan-3’s ChaSTE data, water-ice may exist in high-latitude regions beyond polar craters.

About the Discovery

• Instrument Used: ChaSTE (Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment) on Vikram lander.

Key Findings:

• Sun-facing slopes recorded temperatures up to 82°C (355 K).
• Shaded areas just 1m away were significantly cooler at 59°C (332 K).
• Extreme night-time cooling to -181°C, creating potential conditions for water-ice stability.
• Slopes tilted >14° away from the Sun maintained low temperatures, allowing water-ice migration and storage.

Significance

• Easier Access for space missions compared to rugged polar terrain.
• Supports Lunar Habitation: Water for drinking, air, and fuel production.
• Reduces Earth Dependence for future moon missions.

Future Implications

• Boosts India’s Space Goals & aligns with global lunar exploration efforts (NASA Artemis, China).
• Strengthens ISRO’s role in deep-space colonization & resource utilization.

Answer: a)

• A U.S.-based think tank, The Future of Free Speech, ranked India 24th out of 33 countries in its latest survey on support for free speech.

Key Findings

• India’s Score: 62.6, placed between South Africa (66.9) and Lebanon (61.8).
• Top Nations: Norway (87.9) and Denmark (87.0) lead in free speech support.

Public Perception vs. Reality:

• Majority of Indians support free speech, but 37% favor restrictions on government criticism (highest globally).
• Global assessment shows declining free speech protection in India, despite public perception of improvement.
• Democratic Backsliding: India is categorized alongside Hungary and Venezuela, where free speech laws exist but enforcement is weak.

Challenges to Free Speech in India

• Legal & Political Restrictions: Sedition Law (IPC 124A), UAPA, and IT Rules 2021 restrict dissent.
• Self-Censorship: Fear of legal action, harassment, and media pressure limit open expression.
• Selective Tolerance: Free speech is curbed when it contradicts political or religious views; arrests of journalists and activists highlight inconsistencies.

Answer: b)

• The Union Government directed states to reduce cooking oil usage by 10% in mid-day meals under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM-POSHAN) Scheme to promote healthier eating habits.

About PM-POSHAN Schemen

• Provides nutritious meals to students in government and aided schools.

Coverage:

• Nationwide: Bal-Vatika to Class 8.
• Karnataka: Extended to Class 9 & 10 (54 lakh students).

Key Components:

• Fortified grains, pulses, vegetables, and Double Fortified Salt (DFS).
• Fortified edible oil (Vitamin A & D):
• 5 gm/day (primary students).
• 5 gm/day (upper primary students).

Key Facts & Relevance

• Health Concern: 12.5 million Indian children (5-19 years) were overweight in 2022 (The Lancet).

Implementation:

• Training for cook-cum-helpers on low-oil cooking.
• Awareness campaigns on healthy diets.
• Promotion of grilling, steaming, and boiling over deep-frying.
• School Nutrition Gardens to enhance food sustainability.

Government Focus:

• Supports POSHAN Abhiyaan & Atmanirbhar Bharat.
• Strengthens school nutrition and public health policies.

Answer: b)

• India’s first green waste processing plant is located in Bicholi Hapsi, Indore, developed under the Public-Private Partnership model with Astronomical Industries Pvt. Ltd. on 55,000 sq. ft., processing wood, branches, leaves, and flowers as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban to manage green waste sustainably.

Processing & Revenue Model

• Indore generates 30–70 tons of green waste daily.
• Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) earns ₹3,000 per tonne from wood and branches.
• The plant converts wood waste into wooden pellets, an alternative to coal.

Additional Waste Processing Facilities

• Meghdoot & Sub-Grade Plants (Sirpur, 10,000-15,000 sq. ft.) process garden waste like leaves and twigs, while composting pits in municipal gardens convert green waste into compost, promoting sustainable waste management.
• Environmental & Economic Benefits
• The plant reduces pollution, improves Air Quality Index (AQI), and generates revenue for IMC while promoting a circular economy by converting waste into sustainable energy (wooden pellets) and other useful products.