1. Which Indian state became the first to buy land in Kashmir for the construction of a ‘Bhawan’ for tourists?
- Gujarat
- Maharashtra
- Rajasthan
- Karnataka
The correct answer is Maharashtra
In News
- Maharashtra state became the first to buy land in Kashmir for the construction of a ‘Bhawan’ for tourists.
Key Points
- Maharashtra plans to construct a tourist facility in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam, becoming the first state to buy land in the union territory.
- The Maharashtra Bhawan will be built on 2.5 acres of land at Ichgam, near Srinagar airport, marking the first-ever state Bhawan in the valley.
- The Jammu and Kashmir government has approved the transfer of land to Maharashtra for ₹8.16 crore.
- The initiative was started after Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the union territory in June last year.
- Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar announced in the budget speech that the state government is constructing two Maharashtra Bhawans in Srinagar and Ayodhya to provide better facilities to tourists and devotees.
- The state government has allocated ₹77 crore for constructing the two Bhawans.
2. The Election Commission of India uploaded the electoral bonds data provided by the State Bank of India (SBI) onto its website. Consider the following statement.
1. Future Gaming and Hotel Services Private Limited, led by Santiago Martin, nicknamed the “Lottery King” emerged as the top donor, contributing bonds valued at ₹1,368 crore.
2. The BJP is the top recipient, obtaining over ₹11,061 crore through electoral bonds.
Which of the following statements is correct?
- Only 1
- Only 2
- Both 1 and 2
- None of the Above
The correct answer is Only 1
In News
- Electoral bonds are a means for Indian political parties to obtain funding or donations.
- The scheme was initiated in the fiscal year 2017-18 but was invalidated by the Supreme Court in February.
- Since its inception in 2018, the State Bank of India has issued bonds totaling ₹16,518 crore across 30 tranches.
Key Points
- Top Donors:
- Future Gaming and Hotel Services Private Limited: Led by Santiago Martin, contributed bonds valued at ₹1,368 crore. Hence statement 1 is correct.
- Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL): Founded by Pamireddy Pitchi Reddy, purchased electoral bonds worth ₹891 crore.
- Qwik Supply Chain Pvt Ltd: Based in Mumbai, contributed ₹410 crore via electoral bonds.
- Vedanta Private Limited: Founded by Anil Agarwal, ranked fourth in donations, acquiring bonds totaling ₹400 crore over five years.
- Haldia Energy Limited: A subsidiary of the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, invested ₹377 crore in bonds.
Additional Information
- Political parties such as BJP, Congress, AIADMK, BRS, Shiv Sena, TDP, YSR Congress, DMK, JDS, NCP, Trinamool Congress, JDU, RJD, AAP, and SP have received funds through electoral bonds.
- The BJP is the top recipient, obtaining over ₹6,061 crore through electoral bonds. Hence statement 2 is incorrect.
- TMC received ₹1,610 crore, and Congress received ₹1,422 crore through this funding mechanism.
- Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) received ₹1,215 crore, and Biju Janta Dal (BJD) received ₹776 crore through electoral bonds.
3. Which Indian state has been identified as the top contributor to the illegal trade in shark body parts, with fins constituting about 80% of the shark-derived products seized according to an analysis by TRAFFIC and WWF-India?
- Tamil Nadu
- Karnataka
- West Bengal
- Andhra Pradesh
The correct answer is Tamil Nadu
In News
- Tamil Nadu tops illegal trade in shark body parts
Key Points
- Illegal Trade in Shark Body Parts:
- Tamil Nadu emerges as the top state in illegal trade in shark body parts.
- Analysis by TRAFFIC and WWF-India reveals Tamil Nadu’s contribution to nearly 65% of the illegal trade.
- Fins constitute about 80% of the shark-derived products seized.
- Seizure Data:
- An analysis spanning from January 2010 to December 2022 shows significant seizures.
- Approximately 16,000 kg of shark fins were seized during this period.
- TRAFFIC and WWF-India:
- TRAFFIC (Trade Records Analysis of Flora and Fauna in Commerce) and WWF-India conducted the analysis.
- Implications:
- The high volume of seizures underscores the extent of illegal trade threatening shark populations.
- Illegal trade in shark body parts raises concerns about the conservation of these species and the sustainability of marine ecosystems.
4. Which film won top honors at the sixth edition of the Critics’ Choice Awards 2024?
- 12th Fail
- Jawan
- Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway
- Sam Bahadur
The correct answer is 12th Fail
In News
- 12th Fail won top honors at the sixth edition of the Critics’ Choice Awards 2024.
Key Points
- Mumbai hosted the sixth edition of the Critics’ Choice Awards.
- “12th Fail,” starring Vikrant Massey and directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, won the Best Feature Film award.
- Vikrant Massey received the Best Actor trophy for his role in “12th Fail.”
- Shefali Shah won the Best Actress award for her performance in “The Three of Us,” which also won for Best Cinematography directed by Avinash Arun Dhaware.
- Tamil drama “Koozhangal,” India’s official entry for Oscars 2022, won the Best Director award for P S Vinothraj.
- Jaideep Ahlawat and Deepti Naval won Best Supporting Actor and Actress for their roles in “Jaane Jaan” and “Goldfish,” respectively.
- “Joram,” starring Manoj Bajpayee, won for Best Writing and Best Editing.
- Sudip Sharma’s crime series “Kohrra” won the Best Series award and also secured wins for Best Actor (Suvinder Vicky) and Best Writing.
- Vikramaditya Motwane won Best Director for “Jubilee,” with Sidhant Gupta winning Best Supporting Actor.
- Rajshri Despande and Amruta Subhash won Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress awards for “Trial By Fire” and “Lust Stories S2: The Mirror,” respectively.
- Ajitpal Singh’s “Fire in the Mountains” received the Gender Sensitivity Award.
- Usha Khanna was honored with the Extraordinary Contribution to Cinema Award.
5. Who were jointly awarded the Chameli Devi Jain Award for Outstanding Woman Media Person for the year 2024?
- Greeshma Kuthar and Ritika Chopra
- Sushma Bhardwaj and Radhika Ramaseshan
- Mariyam Alavi and Radhika Ramaseshan
- None of the above
The correct answer is Greeshma Kuthar and Ritika Chopra
In News
- The Media Foundation awarded the Chameli Devi Jain Award for Outstanding Woman Media Person for 2024 jointly to independent journalists Greeshma Kuthar and Ritika Chopra.
Key Points
- The Media Foundation selected the winners through an independent jury comprising senior journalist and columnist Radhika Ramaseshan, journalist and author Mariyam Alavi, and Down to Earth managing editor Richard Mahapatra.
- Greeshma Kuthar is recognized for her deeply-researched long-form investigative reporting from conflict areas like Manipur, focusing on the social and cultural impact of national political narratives on marginalized communities.
- Ritika Chopra has been awarded for her in-depth investigative stories in education and government policy.
- The award is named after freedom fighter and community reformer Chameli Devi Jain, and it recognizes impactful journalism in various fields such as social development, politics, gender justice, human rights, health, conflict, and consumer values.
- In the previous year, Dhanya Rajendran, co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of The News Minute, received the award.
6. Who is the winner of the Erasmus Prize for their writings on the planetary crisis and climate change?
- Jhumpa Lahiri
- Arundhati Roy
- Salman Rushdie
- Amitav Ghosh
The correct answer is Amitav Ghosh
In News
- Amitav Ghosh is the winner of the Erasmus Prize for their writings on the planetary crisis and climate change.
Key Points
- Indian writer Amitav Ghosh has been awarded this year’s Erasmus Prize for his writings on the planetary crisis and climate change.
- The Premium Erasmianum Foundation in the Netherlands awards the prize annually for exceptional contributions in the fields of humanities, social sciences, or arts worldwide.
- \Many of Ghosh’s works, including “The Great Derangement” and “The Nutmeg’s Curse,” focus on the ongoing planetary crisis and its connection to climate change.
- Themes of nature, people, and climate change are recurrent in Ghosh’s works, such as “The Hungry Tide,” which explores man-animal conflict amidst climate change impacts.
7. Recently The Uttar Pradesh Government renamed 8 railway stations in the state. Match the following column:
| S.No. | Old Station Name | S. No. | New Station Name |
| 1. | Akbarganj | A. | Tapeshwarnath Dham |
| 2. | Fursatganj | B. | Bhawani Dham |
| 3. | Misrauli | C. | Amar Shahid Bhale Sultan |
| 4. | Warisganj | D. | Kalikan Dham |
- 1 – A, 2 – B, 3 – C, 4 – D
- 1 – B, 2 – A, 3 – D, 4 – C
- 1 – D, 2 – B, 3 – A, 4 – C
- 1- B, 2 – A, 3 – C, 4 – D
The correct answer is 1 – B, 2 – A, 3 – D, 4 – C
In News
- The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has approved the Uttar Pradesh government’s proposal to rename eight railway stations in Amethi district.
Key Points
- The initiative, led by BJP Amethi MP Smriti Irani, aims to preserve the cultural identity and heritage of the region.
- Smriti Irani expressed satisfaction with the decision, emphasizing the importance of both heritage and development.
- The proposal, submitted on February 12, suggests renaming Kasimpur halt as Jais City and renaming several intermediate stations:
- Jais to Guru Gorakhnath Dham
- Bani to Swami Paramhans
- Misrauli to Maa Kalikan Dham
- Nihalgarh to Maharaja Bijli Pasi
- Akbarganj to Maa Ahorwa Bhawani Dham
- Warisganj to Amar Shahid Bhale Sultan
- Fursatganj to Tapeshwarnath Dham.
8. What is the name of the new airline launched in India, as flagged off by Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia?
- FLY91
- Flamingo
- Royal Airline
- Lotus211
The correct answer is FLY91
In News
- India’s new airline, FLY91, launched operations with two ATR 72-600 aircraft.
Key Points - It is backed by aviation veteran Manoj Chacko, FLY91 plans to expand its fleet.
- Commercial services are set to commence from March 18, connecting Goa to Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
- Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia credits Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for the industry’s growth.
- The government emphasizes its commitment to connecting tier 2 and tier 3 cities through the UDAN scheme.
- The aviation industry targets a rise in domestic traffic to 30 crores by 2030 from 6 crores in 2014.
9. What is India’s rank on the Gender Inequality Index (GII) for the year 2022 among 193 countries?
- 93
- 108
- 134
- 141
The correct answer is 108
In News
- On the Gender Inequality Index (GII) 2022, India stands at rank 108 out of 193 countries.
Key Points
- India jumps 14 ranks on the Gender Inequality Index (GII) 2022 compared to 2021.
- India’s rank on the GII 2022 is 108 out of 193 countries, with a score of 0.437.
- In 2021, India was ranked 122 out of 191 countries, with a score of 0.490.
- Over the last decade, India’s rank in GII has consistently improved, from 127 in 2014 to 108 in 2022.
- The improvement reflects progressive efforts towards gender equality in India.
- Government initiatives have played a crucial role in promoting women’s empowerment.
- Initiatives include policies for girls’ education, skill development, entrepreneurship facilitation, and workplace safety.
MARCH Days & Events
1. Which of India’s neighboring countries celebrates its National Day on March 26?
- Pakistan
- Sri Lanka
- Nepal
- Bangladesh
The Correct Answer is Bangladesh.
- March 26 is the Independence Day of Bangladesh and celebrated as the National Day.
Key Points
- Bangladesh marks March 26 as the official Independence Day as it was on the day in 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman announced the birth of Bangladesh in a dramatic speech.
Additional Information
- Pakistan celebrates August 14 as the National day.
- Srilanka celebrates National day on 4 February to commemorate the country’s political independence from British rule in 1948.
2. World water day is celebrated on which day of the March?
- 20 March
- 21 March
- 22 March
- 23 March
The correct answer is 22 March.
Key Points
- World water day is celebrated on 22nd March.
Additional Information
- World Water Day, held on 22 March every year since 1993, focuses on the importance of freshwater.
- The theme of 2021 World water day is Valuing Water.
- International days and weeks are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems.
- Source:- https://www.un.org/en/observances/water-day
March 2021 Important Days | |
Date | Name of Important Days |
1 March | Zero Discrimination Day |
1 March | World Civil Defence Day |
3 March | World Wildlife Day |
3 March | World Hearing Day |
4 March | National Safety Day |
8 March | International Women’s Day |
10 March | CISF Raising Day |
10 March | No Smoking Day (Second Wednesday of March) |
12 March | Mauritius Day |
14 March | Pi Day |
14 March | International Day of Action for Rivers |
15 March | World Consumer Rights Day |
15 March | Ramakrishna Jayanti |
16 March | National Vaccination Day |
18 March | Ordnance Factories Day (India) |
20 March | International Day of Happiness |
20 March | World Sparrow Day |
21 March | World Forestry Day |
21 March | World Down Syndrome Day |
21 March | World Poetry Day |
22 March | World Water Day |
23 March | World Meteorological Day |
24 March | World Tuberculosis (TB) Day |
27 March | World Theatre Day |
3. March 20 is observed as the International Day of Happiness. Since which year, the United Nations has celebrated the International Day of Happiness?
- 2011
- 2013
- 2015
- 2017
The correct answer is 2013.
Key Points
- March 20 is observed as the International Day of Happiness.
- Since 2013, the United Nations has celebrated the International Day of Happiness as a way to recognise the importance of happiness in the lives of people around the world.
- The resolution to adopt it was initiated by Bhutan, a country that recognized the value of national happiness over national income since the early 1970s.
4. World Sleep Day is observed on the Friday before the March equinox every year. It was first observed in _____?
- 2006
- 2008
- 2010
- 2012
The correct answer is 2008.
Key Points
- World Sleep Day is observed on the Friday before the March equinox every year.
- It is organized by the World Sleep Day Committee of the World Sleep Society
- It was first observed in 2008.
- It aims to lessen the burden of sleep problems on society through better prevention and management of sleep disorders.
Additional Information
- World Sleep Day is observed annually with an aim to raise awareness and call to action on important issues related to sleep — including medicine, education, social aspects and driving.
- This year, the theme and slogan of the day is ‘Quality Sleep, Sound Mind, Happy World’.
- Human sleep architecture is defined by polysomnography (PSG) and divided into different stages: Four stages of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and one stage of rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep.
5. Which of the following Days is observed every year on 23 March?
- World Health Day
- World Meteorological Day
- World Malaria Day
- World AIDS Day
The correct answer is World Meteorological Day.
- World Meteorological Day takes place every year on 23 March.
- World Meteorological Day in 2021 is devoted to the theme “the ocean, our climate and weather.”
- It commemorates the coming into force on 23 March 1950 of the Convention establishing the World Meteorological Organization.
- It showcases the essential contribution of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services to the safety and wellbeing of society and is celebrated with activities around the world.
- World Health Day – 7 April.
- World Malaria Day – 25 April.
- World AIDS Day – 1 December.
- World Hepatitis Day – 28 July.
6. International Day of happiness is observed every year around the world on March 20. In which year did the UN start celebrating this day?
- 2009
- 2011
- 2013
- 2015
The correct answer is 2013.
Key Points
- International Day of happiness is observed every year around the world on March 20.
- The UN started celebrating this day in 2013.
- The resolution was initiated by Bhutan.
- Bhutan initially prioritized the value of National Happiness over National Income in the 1970s.
- Bhutan is known for adopting the goal of Gross National Happiness over Gross National Product at the 66th General Assembly.
Important Points
- This year’s International Happiness Day theme is set as ‘Keep Calm, Stay Wise and Be Kind.’
- The main aim of the day is to create awareness among people that happiness is one most important things in an individual’s life.
7. World Consumer Rights day is observed on which date?
- 8th March
- 15th March
- 21st March
- 20th March
The correct answer is 15 March.
Key Points
- World Consumer Rights Day is celebrated annually on 15th March.
- The idea of celebrating a consumer rights day was given by former US President John F Kennedy in 1962.
- The theme of World Consumer Rights Day 2023 is “Empowering consumers through clean energy transitions”
- Its main objective is consumer rights are to be protected and respected.
- National Consumer Day is observed every year on 24 December.
Additional Information
- April 14th:AmbedkarJayanti
- August 15th:Indian Independence Day
- March 8th:International Women’s Day
8. Every year, the 1st Friday of March is celebrated as Employee Appreciation Day. Who was the founder of this day?
- Dr Bob Nelson
- Dr Ben Crump
- Dr Aurora James
- Dr Tom Brady
The correct answer is Dr. Bob Nelson.
Key Points
- Every year, the 1st Friday of March is celebrated as Employee Appreciation Day, as a recognition of the good work of employees.
- The day was introduced to acknowledge the hard work and diligence of employees and bestow them with the recognition that they deserve.
- Dr. Bob Nelson, the founder of the organization Recognition Professionals International, was the founder of the day.
Additional Information
- This day is considered an opportunity to create a positive bond between employers and employees and to ensure a healthy mental and physical workspace for individuals.
- Dr. Bob Nelson introduced Employee Appreciation Day in 1995 to thank employees and boost their morale.
9. World Civil Defence Day is observed on 1 March. This day was declared as a global holiday by the International Civil Defence Organization (ICDO) in which year?
- 1990
- 1992
- 1994
- 1996
The correct answer is 1990.
Key Points
- World Civil Defence Day is observed on 1 March.
- This day was declared as a global holiday by the International Civil Defence Organization (ICDO) in 1990.
- It honours the significance of civil defence and the personnel who have sacrificed their lives for it.
- The ICDO is an intergovernmental organisation that helps citizens develop and stay secure while also protecting infrastructure and the environment.
Important Points
- ICDO stands for civil protection, civil defence, and civil safety.
- The International Civil Defence Organisation has 58 member states and 17 observer states and conducts as many training programmes as possible to improve the human resources of its member states’ civil defence cadres.
- ICDO, was created in 1931 by Surgeon-General George Saint-Paul who founded the Association of Geneva Zones, which later became the ICDO.
- Saint-Paul intended to build safe zones where residents may take refuge in times of war after witnessing the consequences of war on the populace.
10. When is World Wildlife Day observed?
- 1 March
- 2 March
- 3 March
- 4 March
The correct answer is 3 March.
Key Points
- World Wildlife Day is observed annually on March 3 to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s flora and fauna.
- On December 20, 2013, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 3 March as the UN World Wildlife Day.
The theme for World Wildlife Day 2021 is “Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet”.
Additional Information
- The theme of 2022: “Recovering key species for ecosystem restoration”
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