Daily Current Affairs and GK | 17 March 2020

1. Former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi nominated to Rajya Sabha

• Recently President Ram Nath Kovind nominated former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi to the Rajya Sabha.
• Justice Gogoi, who retired in November 2019, headed a five-judge bench to pronounce the verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute case on 9 November.
• The President has made this nomination under Article 80 mentioned in the Indian Constitution.
• This place was vacant in Rajya Sabha since February after the retirement of K.T.S Tulsi.

2. Two BJP MLAs accused Karnataka government of ignoring KFD

• Two BJP MLAs have accused the Karnataka government of ignoring the Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD).
• He claims that in the last one year, the disease has killed four people in the Malnad region.
• Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD):
  • The disease is caused by a member of the virus family Flaviviridae.
  • KFD is endemic to the state of Karnataka.
  • Rodents and monkeys are hosts for KFDV after being bitten by an infected tick.
  • It is also known by local people as monkey fever.
  • The disease was first identified in 1957 in the Shimoga district of Karnataka.

3. Tamil Nadu Cashew Processors and Exporters Association asks the government to withdraw the notification issued regarding MIP

• The Tamil Nadu Cashew Processors and Exporters Association wants the government to withdraw the notification issued in February 2020, which states that the Minimum Import Price will not be applicable for units under Special Economic Zones and export-oriented units.
• These entities have urged the Centre to impose minimum import prices on cashew kernels in units under Special Economic Zones and Export Oriented Units.
• Minimum Import Price is the minimum price that Indian firms have to pay for per tonne of a product while importing products into India.
• Special Economic Zone is an area in which trade laws differ from the rest of the country.

4. Central Sanskrit Universities Bill 2019 passed in Rajya Sabha

• Recently, the Central Sanskrit Universities Bill 2019 has been passed in the Rajya Sabha.
• The Rajya Sabha has passed this bill by voice vote.
• The Bill provides for the granting the Central University status to three universities of the country viz. Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, Delhi, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, New Delhi, and Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, Tirupati.
• The purpose of this bill is to promote the use of ancient languages ​​in the country.

5. Yes Bank announced the reorganization of its board of directors

• Recently Yes Bank has announced the reorganization of its board of directors.
• Prashant Kumar, former SBI CFO and Deputy MD, will be the new CEO and MD of the troubled Yes Bank.
• Sunil Mehta, former non-executive chairman of Punjab National Bank, will be the non-executive chairman of Yes Bank.
• Mahesh Krishnamurthy and Atul Bhera have also been appointed as non-executive directors.

6. Launch of the book 'The Monk who took India to the world'

• Swami Gautamananda, President of Sri Ramakrishna Math, launched the book 'The Monk who took India to the world', brought by The Hindu Group of Publications.
• This book is based on Swami Vivekananda.
• Swami Vivekananda was a Hindu monk and one of the most famous spiritual leaders of India.
• His birthday, 12 January is celebrated as National Youth Day in India.
• Swami Vivekananda was a prominent disciple of Ramakrishna.

7. Start of Phool dei festival in Uttarakhand

• Recently the Phool dei festival has started in Uttarakhand.
• It is a celebration of the arrival of spring. The word dei is used for the dessert made on this day.
• This festival starts every year on the first day of Chaitra month.
• Although this festival is celebrated throughout the month, the first day has a different significance.

8. First human trials for vaccine for COVID-19 started in US

• The first trials on humans to develop vaccine for the treatment of corona virus infection have begun in the United States.
• In America, these tests will be conducted for 6 weeks on 45 healthy people between the ages of 18 to 55 years.
• Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease.
• The disease was first detected in Wuhan, China in 2019.

Multiple Choice Questions(MCQs)

1. Recently under which Article has the President of India nominated Ranjan Gogoi to Rajya Sabha?

A. Article 80

B. Article 72

C. Article 103

D. Article 110

2. What causes Kyasanur forest disease?

A. Bacteria

B. Fungi

C. Virus

D. Algae

3. The price that Indian firms pay per ton of a product while importing products into India is called _________.

A. Maximum Import Price

B. Minimum Import Price

C. Minimum Support Price

D. Maximum Support Price

4. Where is Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth located?

A. Andhra Pradesh

B. Kerala

C. Karnataka

D. Tamil Nadu

5. Recently who has been appointed as the new CEO of Yes Bank?

A. Sunil Mehta

B. Atul Bheda

C. Mahesh Krishnamurthy

D. Prashant Kumar

6. The book 'The Monk who took India to the world', is based on which of the following great personality?

A. Rajaram Mohan Roy

B. Mahatma Gandhi

C. Swami Vivekananda

D. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

7. Phool dei is the traditional spring festival of which state?

A. Himachal Pradesh

B. Uttarakhand

C. Arunachal Pradesh

D. Tripura

8. Recently which country has started the first test on humans for the Covid-19 vaccine?

A. China

B. India

C. Russia

D. USA

Solution

1. A

2. C

3. B

4. A

5. D

6. C

7. B

8. D