Correct Answer :   Peaceful use of nuclear power

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National Cadet Corps (NCC) and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) signed MoU to enhance peaceful use of nuclear energy. NCC and NPCIL together will organize various awareness programs across the country for this.

Signing of MOU:

* This agreement was signed on March 21, 2024 in New Delhi. It was signed by NCC Director General Lt Gen Gurbirpal Singh and NPCIL Executive Director BVS Shekhar.

Key points of the MoU :

* NPCIL will educate NCC cadets in this initiative. Thereafter will provide resource persons for regional engagement with NCC during camps and various activities.
* This MoU will provide an opportunity to the cadets to visit various NPCIL facilities across the country.
* This will provide first-hand experience on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, its technical and technological aspects.

NCC cadets will become aware and responsible youth :

* Director General, NCC described the MoU as one of the initiatives of NCC to broaden the horizon of cadets. Between the two, more aware and responsible youth will be prepared. The Director General said that 15 lakh NCC cadets have the potential to influence the thinking of youth across the world.
* The Director General expressed confidence that the cadets will play an important role in making the awareness campaign on peaceful uses of nuclear energy a successful initiative.

Correct Answer :   United Nations

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The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the first global resolution on Artificial Intelligence (AI).

This resolution, proposed by the USA and co-sponsored by China and over 120 other nations, aims to safeguard human rights, protect personal data, and monitor AI for potential risks.

The UNGA, headquartered in New York and founded in 1945, is chaired by Dennis Francis.

Correct Answer :   34

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With food poisoning and diarrhoea becoming a common occurrence, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is working towards creating a network of 34 microbiology labs across the country that will be equipped to test food products for 10 pathogens, including E coli, salmonella and listeria.

* “These labs will help test food for microbial contamination that can lead to spoilage of food and potential health risks,” said a senior health official of FSSAI.

* Another official said: “In fact, diarrhoea and food poisoning is so common that most people do not even report such instances. However, it is the job of the department to ensure that the food is safe. These labs will be able to test the food samples collected during routine surveillance for microbes now.”

* Data from the National Centre for Disease Control, which tracks the trajectory of several diseases every week, shows that acute diarrhoeal disease and food poisoning were the two most common outbreaks in the country. There were over 1,100 outbreaks of acute diarrhoeal disease across the country in the last four years and nearly 550 outbreaks of food poisoning.

* However, none of the state food safety labs are currently equipped to test for pathogens as they require maintaining live reference samples, expensive reagents and a microbiologist.

* “There are 79 state food testing laboratories in the country, but none of them really tests for microbes. They are equipped to test for protein or carbohydrate content of a food item to see whether it has what is written on the pack,” said the official..

Source : Indian Express

Correct Answer :   Twice

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The Equinox (Vernal & Autumnal)

There are only two times of the year when the Earth's axis is tilted neither toward nor away from the sun, resulting in a "nearly" equal amount of daylight and darkness at all latitudes. These events are referred to as Equinoxes. The word equinox is derived from two Latin words - aequus (equal) and nox (night). At the equator, the sun is directly overhead at noon on these two equinoxes.  The "nearly" equal hours of day and night are due to refraction of sunlight or a bending of the light's rays that causes the sun to appear above the horizon when the actual position of the sun is below the horizon.  Additionally, the days become a little longer at the higher latitudes (those at a distance from the equator) because it takes the sun longer to rise and set.  Therefore, on the equinox and for several days before and after the equinox, the length of day will range from about 12 hours and six and one-half minutes at the equator, to 12 hours and 8 minutes at 30 degrees latitude, to 12 hours and 16 minutes at 60 degrees latitude.

The Solstices (Summer & Winter)

The summer solstice occurs at the moment the earth's tilt toward/from the sun is at a maximum. Therefore, on the day of the summer solstice, the sun appears at its highest elevation with a noontime position that changes very little for several days before and after the summer solstice.  The summer solstice occurs when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer, which is located at 23.5° latitude North and runs through Mexico, the Bahamas, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, India, and southern China.  For every place north of the Tropic of Cancer, the sun is at its highest point in the sky and this is the longest day of the year.

The winter solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year. In the Northern Hemisphere, it occurs when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Capricorn, which is located at 23.5° south of the equator and runs through Australia, Chile, southern Brazil, and northern South Africa..

Source : Weather

Correct Answer :   2005

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The Prevention of Money Laundering Act, of 2002, along with its Rules, came into force on July 1, 2005.

This Act was enacted by the NDA government to combat money laundering activities and facilitate the confiscation of property obtained through such illegal means..

Source : dor.gov

Correct Answer :   Kumar Venkatasubramanian

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Leading FMCG company P&G India has announced the appointment of Kumar Venkatasubramanian as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective from May 1, 2024.

Outgoing CEO LV Vaidyanathan to Pursue Personal Interests :

The current CEO, LV Vaidyanathan, will be leaving the company to pursue personal interests after serving P&G for 28 years.

Venkatasubramanian’s Journey at P&G :

Venkatasubramanian, an IIM Calcutta alumnus, started his journey with P&G in 2000 as part of the sales team in India, straight after campus recruitment. Before his current role as CEO of P&G Australia and New Zealand, he was leading the sales team in P&G India until 2020.

Significant Experience in India :

With almost 24 years of experience, the majority of which was in India, Venkatasubramanian has played a pivotal role in P&G India’s growth trajectory across various roles, primarily in the sales function.

Driving Growth and Inclusion :

In his current role overseeing the Australia and New Zealand markets, Venkatasubramanian has been responsible for delivering record metrics driven by category growth and strong retailer partnerships. He is an advocate for equality and inclusion, and under his leadership, several impactful programs were expanded for employees and the community, including P&G ANZ’s partnership with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

Leading FMCG Giant in India :

As the new CEO of P&G India, Venkatasubramanian will be leading the company’s four entities – Procter & Gamble Hygiene & Health Care, Procter & Gamble Health, Gillette India, and Procter & Gamble Home Products. With his extensive experience and proven track record, he is poised to guide P&G India’s growth and innovation in the dynamic FMCG sector.

Correct Answer :   1.29

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Experts have raised concerns regarding the projected fall in India’s total fertility rate (TFR) in a recent study by Lancet on global fertility rates. The study suggests that India’s TFR, or the average number of children born to a woman, has been seeing a decline over the last century, with the fertility rate falling from 6.18 children per woman in 1950 to a projected 1.29 children per woman by 2050.
 
The study stated that India has already fallen below the replacement level of fertility, required for a population to exactly replace one generation with another. In 2021, India’s TFR was at 1.91 children per woman, below the necessary replacement fertility level of 2.1.

Speaking on the reasons behind the fall in the fertility rate, Aruna Kalra, director, obstetrics and gynaecology, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram said that with the delay in the age of marriage, the average age of first pregnancy has dropped from the mid-20’s to mid to late 30’s.  

Other reasons include an increase in female literacy and women’s workforce participation. “Busy lifestyles in urban areas and high stress jobs are leading people to not consider having children at all,” she added.   

Implications for the economy  :

* Poonam Muttreja, executive director, Population Foundation of India, said that such a trend will pose challenges such as an ageing population, labour force shortages, and potential social imbalances due to gender preferences in the country.

* “While these challenges are still a few decades away for India, we need to start acting now with a comprehensive approach for the future,” she added.
 
* The report also states that India’s TFR can further fall to 1.04 children per woman in the year 2100.     

* In countries like India, having more children is economically unviable for most families. Giving the example of Scandinavian countries, Muttreja said that countries like Sweden and Denmark are dealing with these challenges by supporting families through affordable childcare, investing in healthcare, and taking on large-scale male-engagement initiatives..

Source : Business Standard

Correct Answer :   Kiren Rijiju

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Kiren Rijiju was appointed with an additional charge as the Minister of Food Processing Industries after Pashupati Kumar Paras resigned from the Union Cabinet due to RLJP's exclusion from the NDA seat-sharing deal in Bihar for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. President Droupadi Murmu accepted Paras's resignation and appointed Rijiju to oversee the Food Processing Industries portfolio.

Correct Answer :   22 March

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World Water Day, celebrated on March 22 every year, is an occasion to realise the importance of freshwater, especially this year amid the ongoing Bengaluru water crisis. The tech hub is facing an acute water shortage due to failed monsoons and drying groundwater resources.

World Water Day History :

In 1992, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro saw the first formal proposal of World Water Day under Agenda 21. The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution in December 1992 by which March 22 was declared World Water Day.

World Water Day Significance :

The United Nations (UN) marks this day to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. On this day, the UN’s flagship report on water and sanitation is launched every year.

World Water Day Theme 2024 :

The theme for this year (2024) is ‘Water for prosperity and peace’. Thus, the 2024 edition of the UN’s flagship World Water Development Report (WWDR) report will explore this theme and be released today.

Correct Answer :   Ashwini Kumar

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Ashwani Kumar, Partner at Victor Forgings in Jalandhar, has been unanimously elected as the new President of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO).

Background and Experience

* Ashwani Kumar is a well-known business entrepreneur and exporter from Jalandhar, Punjab, representing the engineering sector.
* He has held key positions in various organizations, including :

Local and Regional Contributions

Besides his national roles, Ashwani Kumar has also represented various forums in Jalandhar, such as:

* Focal Point Industries Association
* Effluent Treatment Society
* Management Association
* Badminton Association
* Integrated Association of SMEs
* Doaba Airport Association
* Trustee of K L Saigal Memorial Trust

Vision and Objectives

With his extensive experience and deep knowledge of international trade, Ashwani Kumar aims to:

* Enhance services to the exporting community of the country
* Foster growth and innovation in India’s exports sector
* Expand the global footprint of Indian exports
* Make exports a national priority in collaboration with all stakeholders
* Work closely with the Government to achieve export objectives

FIEO’s New Leadership

* Under Ashwani Kumar’s leadership, the FIEO is expected to navigate challenges and seize opportunities in the global market. His vision for the Federation is both inspiring and pragmatic, focusing on enhancing the competitiveness of India’s exports sector.

* The new FIEO Chief’s extensive experience and commitment to the exports sector will undoubtedly contribute to the growth and success of Indian exporters on the global stage.