Daily Current Affairs and GK | 07 March 2020

1. First Games India Winter Games launched in Gulmarg, Jammu & Kashmir

• The first Khelo India Winter Games were launched in Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir.
• These games are being organized by the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
• These winter games will be held from 7 to 11 March 2020.
• Around 900 participants will participate in this 5-day event.
• There will be 30 events, including snow skiing, snow boarding, ski mountaineering, snow rugby, and snow baseball.

2. On March 7, Jan Aushadhi Diwas celebrated all over the country

• Jan Aushadhi Diwas was celebrated on 7 March across the country.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part in the Jan Aushadhi Diwas function through video conferencing from New Delhi.
• On this occasion, Union Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister DV Sadanand Gowda attended the function held at the Prime Minister's Bharatiya Jan Aushadhi Kendra, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
• Currently, there are about 622 Jan Aushadhi Centers in 700 districts of the country.
• Jan Aushadhi Kendras have been opened across the country by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, especially with an aim to provide high quality medicines at affordable prices to the poor and the underprivileged.

3. Minerals Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020 was passed in the Lok Sabha

• Recently, the Mineral Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020 was passed in the Lok Sabha.
• The Bill will amend the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act 1957 and the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act 2015.
• Also, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill 2019 was also passed in the Lok Sabha.

4. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

• In a workshop, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) is one of the biggest achievements in the direction of women empowerment.
• LPG coverage has increased from 55% to 97% in the last 5 years.
• Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana:
  • The scheme was launched on 1 May 2016.
  • The objective is to distribute 50 million LPG connections to women from BPL families.
  • The scheme is run under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

5. Indian women's cricket team reaches in the final of T20 World Cup

• Indian women's cricket team has reached the final of T20 World Cup for the first time.
• In the final, India will face 4 time T20 World Cup winning team Australia.
• The women's T20 World Cup final will be played in Melbourne.

6. Fourth Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) 2019 was held in New Delhi

• Recently the Fourth Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) 2019 was held in New Delhi.
• World champion shuttler PV Sindhu was named Sportsperson of the Year at the awards.
• Simultaneously, Sindhu also won the Unbreakable Spirit of Sports award.
• Former India football captain Bhaichung Bhutia was given the Lifetime Achievement Award.
• Hockey veteran and three-time Olympic gold medalist Balbir Singh Sr. was awarded the Icon of the Century award. 
• National Badminton Coach Pullela Gopichand won Mentor of the Year award.
• Former shooter Jaspal Rana was recognized as Coach of the Year.

7. Bangladesh-based international development organization remains world's top NGO

• The 2020 rankings have been announced recently by the Geneva-based organization NGO Adviser, which publishes rankings for the top 500 global NGOs annually based on publicly available data.
• The Bangladesh-based International Development Organization, BRAC has retained its position as the world's top NGO for the 5^th consecutive year in the ranking.
• This ranking focuses on the impact, innovation, governance and sustainability of public advisory NGOs.
• BRAC:
  • BRAC was founded in 1972 by Sir Fazal Hasan Abed.
  • It was intended to help refugees returning to the country through a small-scale relief and resettlement project.
  • Currently, it operates in Bangladesh and 11 countries in Asia and Africa.

8. Commencement of annual festival of Saint Antony's shrine in Katchatheevu Island

• The annual festival of Saint Antony's shrine has begun in the island of Katchatheevu, Sri Lanka.
• Saint Antony is worshiped as the patron saint of the sea farers. The temple is the only structure on the island and was built in the early years of the last century.
• More than 3,000 devotees from India are being taken to the island in country boats.
• As per an agreement between the two governments, citizens of India are not required to hold an Indian passport or Sri Lankan visa to visit Katchatheevu.
• It is known that Katchatheevu is an uninhabited island, which was a disputed island between India and Sri Lanka, and was handed over to Sri Lanka by the Government of India in 1974.

9. Researchers at the Raman Research Institute designed a new test for fairness of quantum coin

• Researchers at the Raman Research Institute, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology, have designed a new test for the fairness of a quantum coin or qubit.
• The new test uses entanglement theory to test the fairness of quantum coins.
• Entanglement is a special type of correlation, which has no classical equivalent in the quantum world.
• Such testing is valuable in quantum sensors.
• Raman Research Institute is located in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. Where was the first Khelo India Winter Games launched recently?

A. Jammu & Kashmir

B. Himachal Pradesh

C. Arunachal Pradesh

D. Tamil Nadu

2. Recently on which day Jan Aushadhi Diwas has been celebrated across the country?

A. 1 March

B. 3 March

C. 5 March

D. 7 March

3. Under which ministry is the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana implemented?

A. Ministry of Women and Child Development

B. Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas

C. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

D. Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation

4. Recently which of the following player has been selected as Times of India Sportsperson of the Year?

A. Saina Nehwal

B. PV Sindhu

C. Bhaichung Bhutia

D. Jaspal Rana

5. Where will the final match of T20 World Cup be played between India and Australia women's cricket team?

A. Sydney

B. Brisbane

C. Melbourne

D. Perth

6. Which country's NGO is being honored as the world's top NGO for 5 consecutive years?

A. Britain

B. Bangladesh

C. India

D. USA

7. Which country has the ownership of the Katchatheevu island?

A. Japan

B. China

C. Sri Lanka

D. New Zealand

8. Where is Raman Research Institute located?

A. Bengaluru

B. Hyderabad

C. New Delhi

D. Pune

Solution:

1. A

2. D

3. B

4. B

5. C

6. B

7. C

8. A