Daily Current Affairs Quiz: March 22, 2023

ANSWER: A

ANSWER: C

 ANSWER: D

 ANSWER: C

• An enzyme called laccase generated by a group of fungi has been found capable of degrading a variety of hazardous organic dye molecules that are regularly drained into water bodies after dying clothes in the textile industry.
• This observed characteristic which the scientists termed substrate promiscuity can have deep implication in designing enzyme-coated cassettes for treating heavily dye-polluted water through a natural solution to make the environment greener.
• It belongs enzyme family of multicopper oxidases (MCOs).
  • They are classified as benzenediol oxygen reductases and are also known as urushiol oxidases and p-diphenol oxidases.
• Laccase was known for its capacity to degrade various organic molecules.
• They are capable of oxidizing a large number of phenolic and non-phenolic molecules due to their low substrate specificity, using oxygen as electron acceptor and generating water as a by-product.
• Hence the scientists saw a scope in using it to develop a technology to treat/degrade the dye effluents emanated from textile industries.

 ANSWER: B

• World Sparrow Day is observed every year on March 20^th.
• It is designated to raise awareness about sparrow conservation and protection, as their numbers are declining globally.
• The theme of World Sparrow Day 2023 is “I Love Sparrows”.
• A sparrow is a member of the genus Passer. They are small passerine birds which belong to the family Passeridae.
• The genus has about 30 species around the world.
  • The best known of these is the house sparrow, Passer domesticus.
• World Sparrow Day is a joint initiative by the Nature Forever Society, India, an NGO by Mohammed Dilawar (internationally acclaimed conservationist) along with other global organisations.
  • The main purpose of the Nature Forever Society is to save common flora and fauna including sparrows by involving citizens.
• First World Sparrow Day was celebrated on March 20, 2010.

 ANSWER: A

• Recently, under Namami Gange Program, the development of river front on Gandak River in the district of Gopalganj, Bihar has been undertaken and two Ghats have been constructed.
• River Gandak was declared as National Waterway (NW)-37 from Bhaisalotan Barrage to Gandak and Ganga River confluence at Hajipur, Bihar along with 111 NWs in the country vide National Waterways Act, 2016.

About Gandak

• The river Gandak, is also known as the Gandaki and Narayani River in Nepal.
• Valmiki National Park and Tiger Reserve in Bihar is located on the banks of Gandak.
• The river Gandak originates at an altitude of 7620 m above main sea level in the north of Dhaulagisi in Tibet near Nepal border.
• The river stretches over a length of 630 kilometers, with 445 kilometers running through India and 185 kilometers in Nepal.
• The Gandak River has a total drainage basin area of 29,705 square kilometers.
• The river flows through the Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, and joins the Ganges near Patna just downstream of Hajipur.
• The major tributaries of the Gandak River include the Mayangadi, Bari, Trisuli, Panchand, Sarhad, Budhi Gandak.

 ANSWER: D

• The Madras Music Academy has announced the winner of the Sangita Kalanidhi and Nritya Kalanidhi for the year 2023.

Sangita Kalanidhi award

• Carnatic vocalist Bombay Jayashri, who is known for her melodic and meditative style of singing and is recognised by a Padma Shri from the Indian government has been selected for the Sangita Kalanidhi award of the Music Academy for 2023.
• Sangita Kalanidhi award is considered the highest accolade in the field of Carnatic music.
• The award comprises a gold medal and a birudu patra (citation).

Nritya Kalanidhi award

• Vasanthalakshmi Narasimhachari has been selected for The Nritiya Kalanidhi award for dance.
• She excels both in Bharathanatyam and Kuchipudi.

About Madras Music Academy

• It is a landmark institution in the history of the fine arts.
• It emerged as an offshoot of the All India Congress Session held in Madras in December 1927.
• It was conceived to be the institution that would set the standard for Carnatic music.
• It also confers the various awards such as the Sangita Kalanidhi, Nritya Kalanidhi, Sangita Kala Acharya, TTK, and Musicologist awards for the year.

 ANSWER: B

• The Centre has advised the Manipur state government to take steps for the protection of Keibul Lamjao Park and Loktak Lake.
• Keibul Lamjao Park is considered as the only floating national park in the world.
• The National park is situated in the south western part of the Loktak lake.
  • It has a unique ecosystem called ‘Phumdi’.
  • Loktak Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake in the north-eastern India.
• It is the last natural habitat of the brow-antlered deer (Sangai) the dancing deer of Manipur.
  • In the 1950s, it was believed that the brow-antlered deer (Rucervus eldii eldii) had become extinct in the country. However, it was subsequently re-discovered in Manipur.
• Hog Deer, Otter, a host of water fowls and migratory birds are found here.
  • The Code on Social Security, 2020.

 ANSWER: C

• March 21 is observed as World Down Syndrome Day worldwide, aiming to increase public awareness and show support for individuals living with this genetic condition.
• The United Nations chose this date to highlight the link between Down syndrome and the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome, which makes it unique.
• This year’s World Down Syndrome Day theme is ‘With Us, Not for Us’, emphasizing that people with disabilities should be treated equally and have access to the same opportunities as others.

 ANSWER: A

• Recently Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced the creation of 19 new districts and 3 new divisions in the state during his course of the discussion on the Finance and Appropriation Bill in the Legislative Assembly.
• Rajasthan will now have 19 new districts and 3 new divisions, taking the number of districts to 50 and divisions to 10.
• The new districts are- Anupgarh, Balotra, Beawar, Deeg, Didwana-Kuchaman, Dudu, Gangapur City, Jaipur North, Jaipur South, Jodhpur East, Jodhpur West, Kekri, Kotputli-Behror, Khairthal, Neem Ka Thana, Phalodi, Salumbar, Sanchor and Shahpura districts.
• The CM also declared adding three new administrative divisions: Sikar, Banswara and Pali.
• For the new districts and divisions, CM proposed a budget of Rs 2,000 crore for the first phase of implementation of infrastructure and human resource development.

 ANSWER: D

• The Labour20 (L20) Inception Meet under G20 recently was held in Amritsar.
• L20 adopts two joint statements on Universalisation of Social Security and Woman and Future of Work.
• Joint statement advocated for resolving issues of social security portability among G20 nations as a first step towards universalisation of social security and plugging the gender gap in global workforce.
• India’s initiatives for social security of workers
  • eShram Portal for the registration of Unorganized Workers.
  • Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana.

 ANSWER: B

• Burundi, a landlocked east-African country, has declared its first polio outbreak in 30 years.
• The outbreak was confirmed after a four-year-old child in the Isale district of western Burundi, along with two other children he was in contact with, were diagnosed with vaccine-linked polio.
• Additionally, poliovirus type 2 was detected in five samples from environmental surveillance of wastewater from the region.
  • Poliovirus type 2 is a weakened strain of the virus contained in the oral polio vaccine.