Correct Answer :   March 21

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The International Day of Forests, also known as World Forests Day is celebrated each year on March 21 to raise awareness about the importance of forests and trees for the survival of humanity and the planet. Forests are crucial for the ecosystem and our survival.

* It regulates the climate, purifies air & water, and provides food, medicine, and other resources.

International Day of Forests Theme 2023 : The theme for International Day of Forests changes every year, with the aim of highlighting different aspects of forest conservation and management. The theme for 2023 is 'forests and health.'

International Day of Forests History :

* The history of the International Day of Forests can be traced back to 1971 when the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) established World Forestry Day. The day was established to create and raise awareness of the importance of forests for people and the planet.

* In 2011, the United Nations declared the years 2011 to 2020 as the International Decade of Forests. It objective was to promote sustainable management, conservation, and development of all types of forests. In the year 2012, the International Day of Forests was established.

International Day of Forests Significance :

* On the International Day of Forest, organizations and individuals around the world organize events and activities to raise awareness of the importance of forests and to promote sustainable forest management practices.

* The day also provides an opportunity to celebrate the beauty and diversity of the world's forests and to recognize the important role they play in our lives..

Source : Times of India

Correct Answer :   Padma Lakshmi

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Padma Lakshmi, Kerala’s first transgender lawyer, chose the profession so she could speak for the voiceless. With unflinching support from family and professors, her dream was realised Sunday when she enrolled with the Bar Council of Kerala.

* State Industries Minister P. Rajeev shared the news on his Instagram account with a photo of Padma Lakshmi holding her enrolment certificate. She is among around 1,500 lawyers who enrolled Sunday (19th March 2023).

* Padma Lakshmi enrolled for LLB at Ernakulam Government Law College after graduating with a physics degree. She started his career as an intern with senior advocate KV Bhadrakumari.

* His post, translated from Malayalam to English, reads, “Becoming the first is always the hardest achievement in history. There are no predecessors on the way to the goal. Obstacles will be inevitable. There will be people to mute and discourage. Padma Lakshmi has written her name in legal history by overcoming all this.”

* 27-year-old Padma Lakshmi said "advocacy is a noble and respectful profession".

About Padma Lakshmi :

* Lakshmi, who identifies as a woman, finished her 3-year law degree in 2022 from Government Law College, Ernakulam, which she said was very “interesting”. Her professors, she added, were supportive all through.

* Prior to her law degree, she pursued BSc (Physics) from Bharata Mata College, Ernakulam.

* “(My college had) very interesting days. My teachers, Dr Mariyamma M.K. and former principal Dr Agitha T.G. were always positive and supported me. (They said if)… you have to achieve more, study well and concentrate on your journey, don’t think about anything negative, you can achieve your dreams,” she said.

* On whether she faced discrimination for being transgender, she said, “I am not interested in thinking about discrimination (I experienced). My aim (is) to speak for (and) raise my voice for those facing discrimination and injustice.”

* For Lakshmi, the youngest among three sisters, her parents and siblings have been her true support and inspiration. When she came out to her parents — her father, a government employee, and her mother, a clerk with an advocate — they were very accepting, she said, adding that she received the same kind of support from her senior,  advocate K.V. Bhadra Kumari, and other lawyers at the Kerala High Court..

Source : The Print

Correct Answer :   Finland

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On 20th March every year, the world celebrates World Happiness Day and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network releases an annual report named World Happiness Report.

Finland tops the ranking for the sixth year in a row with a score of 7.8 and other Norwegian countries like Denmark, Iceland are ranked second and third. In the list of top 10, other countries are Israel, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Luxembourg and New Zealand.

Most unhappy countries of the world?

Out of the 137 countries, Taliban-ruled Afghanistan has ranked last and is most unhappy according to the report. Other regions at the bottom of the list include Lebanon, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo, etc. The report adds that these countries have high-level of corruption and low life expectancy.

India's position in the World Happiness Report?

India's rank has certainly improved from 136 to 125 but the country still ranks below its neighbors like Nepal, China, Bangladesh, etc. Despite being the fastest-growing economy in the world, India has consistently ranked low in the index and several people have even raised questions on how India can rank lower than countries in crises..

Source : Mint

Correct Answer :   Jindal Steel

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Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) on Sunday (19th March 2023) said it will manufacture India's first fire-resistant steel structures at its unit in Raigarh, Chhatisgarh.

* With the production of a special steel item for the first time in India, the company will target segments like refineries, bridges, metro projects, industrial structures, steel, power plants, hospitals, commercial and residential buildings.

* "JSPL has received BIS certification to manufacture India's first fire-resistant steel structures at its rail mill in Chhattisgarh. The BIS 15103 grade steel structural steels are designed to withstand temperatures up to 600 degrees celsius for 3 hours," it said. The grade is being imported at present.

* The new grade steel structures will help the nation to reduce dependence on imports, the company said. "The license provided to the company will be a game-changer in strengthening India's infrastructure & its safety standards.

* Fire-resistant steel will provide much-needed assurance to the end users for fire safety, building a safer Atma Nirbhar Bharat," JSPL MD Bimlendra Jha said. Part of OP Jindal Group, JSPL is an industrial powerhouse with a dominant presence in the steel, mining and infrastructure sectors with investments worth $12 billion across the globe..

Source : Outlook India

Correct Answer :   Sri Lanka

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Board approved (21st Mar 2023) a 48-month extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of SDR 2.286 billion (about US$3 billion) to support Sri Lanka’s economic policies and reforms.

Sri Lanka has been facing a severe economic crisis as a result of past policy missteps and economic shocks. We have been deeply concerned about the impact of the crisis on the Sri Lankan people, particularly the poor and vulnerable groups, and about the economic costs of the delay in the country’s access to external financing.

21st Mar 2023 Board approval marks an important step towards the resolution of the crisis — Sri Lanka will immediately receive an initial disbursement of about US$330 million from the EFF arrangement, which is expected to catalyze new external financing including from the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.

The reform program supported under the EFF arrangement is built on strong policy measures and prioritizes :

(i) an ambitious revenue-based fiscal consolidation, accompanied by stronger social safety nets, fiscal institutional reforms, and cost-recovery based energy pricing to ensure the state’s ability to support all its essential expenditures;

(ii) restoration of public debt sustainability, including through a debt restructuring to ensure stable financing of the government’s operations;

(iii) a multi-pronged strategy to restore price stability and rebuild reserves under greater exchange rate flexibility in order to alleviate the burden of inflation, particularly on the poor, to foster an environment of investment and growth, and to ensure Sri Lanka's ability to purchase essential goods from abroad;

(iv) policies to safeguard financial sector stability to ensure that the financial sector can play its key role in supporting economic growth;

(v) structural reforms to address corruption vulnerabilities and enhance growth..

Source : IMF

Correct Answer :   Mansukh Mandaviya

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Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare during his address at the concluding day of the “Global Conference on Digital Health – Taking Universal Health Coverage to the Last Citizen” a co-branded event under India’s G20 Presidency organized by WHO – South-East Asia Region in collaboration with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.

Digital Health interventions are not just limited to individual healthcare delivery programs, but are spread across multiple health outcomes, catering to both communicable and non-communicable diseases across the health and disease burden spectrum.

He was joined by Mr Joe Bejang, Minister of Health and Human Services, Republic of Marshall Islands and Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia Region. Other dignitaries who were present at the High-Level Plenary included Ms. Nina Bergstedt, Senior Adviser, Office for Data Infrastructure and Cyber Security, Ministry of Interior and Health of Denmark; Mrs. Bernardina De Sousa, National Deputy Director for Health Training, Ministry of Health, Mozambique; Mr Bader Awladthani, Director-General of Information Technology, Sultanate of Oman and Dr Preetha Rajaraman, Health Attache and South Asia Regional Representative, US Dept of Health and Human Services..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   NGEL

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NGEL, (a wholly owned subsidiary of NTPC Limited), has signed a Joint Venture Agreement with IOCL for setting up of renewable energy projects to meet Round the Clock power requirement of IOCL Refineries.

* The JV Agreement was signed by Mr. Kausik Basu, ED (M&I), IOCL and Mr. V. V. Sivakumar, GM, NGEL in the presence of Mr. Gurdeep Singh, CMD, NTPC Limited and Mr. Shrikant Madhav Vaidya, Chairman, IOCL.

* NTPC Limited, through its wholly owned subsidiary, NGEL, has set an ambitious target of building a renewable generation portfolio of 60 GW over the next decade to aggressively pursue its green energy business.

* The signing of this Joint Venture Agreement between the two Maharatna behemoths will enable NTPC Limited and Indian Oil to meet the Government of India's Clean Energy Targets in their respective core businesses.

* Mr. D. K. Patel, Director (HR), NTPC Limited, Mr. U.K. Bhattacharya, Director (Projects), NTPC Limited, Mr. Jaikumar Srinivasan, Director (Finance), NTPC Limited, Ms. Sukla Mistry, Director (R), IOCL and other senior officials from NGEL, NTPC REL, and IOCL were present on the occasion..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   2050

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* According to the report, published GCEW, revealed that India will face a reduction of over 16% in food supply due to water and heat stress in 2050.

* However, the report placed China at the top, where food supply would be reduced by 22.4%, followed by South America by 19.4%.

* The water supply availability in India is between 1100-1197 billion cubic meters (bcm).

* In contrast, the demand is expected to grow from 550-710 bcm in 2010 to 900-1,400 bcm in 2050..

Source : New Indian Express

Correct Answer :   March 20

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World Oral Health Day is observed globally on March 20 every year with the primary aim of creating awareness about the importance of oral health.

* The day is celebrated to promote good oral hygiene habits, encourage people to take care of their teeth, and educate them on how to prevent dental problems.

World Oral Health Day 2023 Theme :

* Each year, World Oral Health Day is given a specific theme. The theme for 2023 is “Be Proud of Your Mouth".

* It was chosen for three years as part of a campaign launched by the World Dental Federation (FDI) in 2021. The last two World Oral Health Days also had the same theme.

* The first year of the campaign was focused on highlighting the effects of oral health on overall health and the second year underlined the importance of a healthy mouth for happiness and well-being. The 2023 World Oral Health Day emphasises the importance of ensuring oral health at every stage of life.

World Oral Health Day History : The idea to celebrate World Oral Health Day was first proposed in 2007 and the day was first celebrated on September 12 that year. It is the birth date of Dr Charles Godon, the founder of FDI. The campaign got activated in 2013 and the date for the celebration of World Oral Health Day was changed to March 20.

World Oral Health Day Significance : Oral health is an essential part of overall health and well-being and it is important to maintain good oral hygiene to prevent dental problems. Neglecting oral health can lead to various problems such as tooth decay, gum disease, and bad breath. World Health Day is geared towards inspiring people to unite and reduce the burden of oral diseases..

Source : News18

Correct Answer :   Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav

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Ram Sahai Prasad Yadav has been elected as the third Vice-President of Nepal. According to the Election Commission of Nepal, Ram Sahai got 30,328 out of 52,628 votes.

Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav started his political journey in 1990 with the Nepal Sadbhavna Party. Like the President, the Vice President is also elected by an electoral college consisting of members of the federal parliament (House of Representatives and the National Assembly) and provincial assemblies. The term of the Vice-President is of five years.