Q1. What is the base year for National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)?
(a) 2015
(b) 2016
(c) 2017
(d) 2020
Q2. Recently the government announced the merger of Lok Sabha Television (LSTV) and Rajya Sabha Television (RSTV) into a single entity-
(a) DD Bharti
(b) Sansad TV
(c) Bharat TV
(d) Sansad Darshan
Q3. What is the new revised FDI limit in Insurance Sector?
(a) 24%
(b) 49%
(c) 50%
(d) 74%
Q4. Which of the following Railway Zones has recently commissioned the Mobile Train Radio Communication (MTRC) System?
(a) Central Railway
(b) North Central Railway
(c) Western Railway
(d) Northern Railway
Q5. The World Wildlife Day is celebrated on?
(a) 1 March
(b) 3 March
(c) 28 February
(d) 5 September
Q6. Exercise Desert Flag is an annual multi-national large force employment warfare exercise hosted by the?
(a) Indian Air Force
(b) United Arab Emirates Air Force
(c) Sri Lankan Air Force
(d) Russian Air Force
Q7. Which is the longest waterway in India?
(a) NW 1
(b) NW 2
(c) NW 3
(d) NW 5
Q8. NewSpace India Limited (NSIL)- a Public Sector Enterprise is under the administrative control of-
(a) Defence Research and Development Organisation
(b) The Department of Science & Technology
(c) Department of Space
(d) Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Q9. Recently, the Sri Lanka has decided to offer which of the following ports to be developed jointly by Japan & India?
(a) East Container Terminal of Colombo
(b) West Container Terminal of Colombo
(c) Chabahar Port
(d) Hambantota Port
Q10. Which state/UT has recently approved a bill to reserve 75% private jobs for locals?
(a) Delhi
(b) Uttar Pradesh
(c) Haryana
(d) Tamil Nadu
Answer Key-
Ans1-(c)
Explanation- National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) was started as a long-term, time-bound, national level strategy to tackle the air pollution problem across the country in a comprehensive manner with targets to achieve 20% to 30% reduction in Particulate Matter concentrations by 2024 keeping 2017 as the base year for the comparison of concentration. Under NCAP, 122 non-attainment cities have been identified across the country based on the Air Quality data from 2014-2018.
Ans2-(b)
Explanation- The Lok Sabha Television (LSTV) and Rajya Sabha Television (RSTV) have been merged into a single ‘Sansad TV’. Despite this merger, the two channels are likely to continue to be operational but under the banner of Sansad TV for the live telecast of proceedings of the two house. The decision was jointly taken by the Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Retired IAS officer Ravi Capoor has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer for one year starting March 2021.
Ans3-(d)
Explanation- While presenting the Union Budget 2021-22 in Parliament the Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman announced the amendment of the Insurance Act, 1938 to increase the permissible FDI limit from 49% to 74% and allow foreign ownership and control with safeguards. Under the proposed new structure, the majority of Directors on the Board and key management persons would be resident Indians, with at least 50% of Directors being Independent Directors, and specified percentage of profits being retained as general reserve.
Ans4-(c)
Explanation- General Manager of the Western Railway, Shri Alok Kansal inaugurated the newly commissioned Mobile Train Radio Communication (MTRC) system at Divisional Railway Manager's Office in Mumbai on 1st March, 2021. This is the first time that MTRC is commissioned in Indian Railways. MRTC acts in a similar way to that of Air traffic control (ARC) for aircrafts. This GPS Enabled Tracking System will monitor, track and aid in communication between the trains and the control room thereby ensuring smooth movement of rakes as well as help in preventing adverse events
Ans5-(b)
Explanation- At its 68th session, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared 3 March – the day of signature of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1973 – as UN World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants. World Wildlife Day-2021 was celebrated under the theme "Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet”.
Ans6-(b)
Explanation- Ex Desert Flag is an annual multi-national warfare exercise hosted by the United Arab Emirates Air Force. The Indian Air Force is participating for the first time in Exercise Desert Flag-VI along with Air Forces of United Arab Emirates, United States of America, France, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Bahrain. The exercise is scheduled from 03 Mar 21 to 27 Mar 21 at Al-Dhafra airbase, UAE. The IAF is participating with six Su-30 MKI, two C-17 and one IL-78 tanker aircraft. India also participates in Exercise Desert Eagle, which is a bilateral exercise between Indian Air Force (IAF) and United Arab Emirates Air Force (UAE AF).
Ans7-(a)
Explanation- NW-1 or the Allahabad-Haldia stretch is one of the most important waterways in India, which is navigable by mechanical boats up to Patna and by ordinary boats up to Haridwar. The total length is 1620 km.
Recently PM inaugurated Maritime India Summit 2021 and asserted his vision to operationalise 23 waterways by 2030.
Ans8-(c)
Explanation- NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) was incorporated on 6 March as a wholly owned Government of India company, NSIL is the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) under the administrative control of Department of Space (DOS). It has the primary responsibility of enabling Indian industries to take up high technology space related activities and is also responsible for promotion and commercial exploitation of the products and services emanating from the Indian space programme.
India recently launched Brazil’s optical earth observation satellite, Amazonia-1, and 18 co-passenger satellite on board the PSLV-C51, the 53rd flight of India’s workhorse launch vehicle. It was the first dedicated mission for New Space India Ltd (NSIL). The mission was undertaken under a commercial arrangement with Spaceflight Inc., USA.
Ans9-(b)
Explanation- The Sri Lankan government, has decided to accept the proposal to develop the West Container Terminal on Build, Operate and Transfer basis for a period of 35 years as a public-private partnership with Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited and its local representative John Keels Holding PLC, and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.
Ans10-(c)
Explanation- Haryana Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya has given assent to the Bill providing 75% reservation in the private sector. The quota will initially apply for 10 years. The Bill covers private companies, societies, trusts and partnership firms in the State.
Watch 5 March Current Affairs Video by Shashank Sir