Current Affairs 21 March 2024

Ruby Thakur
March 21, 2024
154

In Current Affairs for 21 March 2024, we will see the latest national and international current affairs news. These important current affairs will be beneficial for your upcoming NDA, CDS, CDS OTA, AFCAT, TA, Agniveer Army, Agniveer Navy, Agniveer Air Force, Women Military Police, INET, MNS, ACC exams, SCO, PCSL, CAPF, and SSB interviews, and direct entries for Army, Navy, and Air Force like SSC Tech, TGC, JAG, NCC, TES, 10+2 Cadet. Download a PDF file about current events at the end of this article. Let us now see the Current Affairs.

Current Affairs 21 March 2024

Gross Direct Tax Collection

Gross Direct Tax collection has registered a growth of 18.74 percent during the current Financial Year. According to the Finance Ministry, gross direct tax collection stands at over 22 lakh 27 thousand crore rupees which is more than 18 lakh 75 thousand crore rupees reported in the corresponding period of financial year 2022-23.

The Gross collection includes Corporation Tax, Personal Income Tax, and Securities Transaction Tax among others. Over 10 lakh 98 thousand crore rupees were collected as Corporation Tax while the Personal Income Tax including Securities Transaction Tax was reported over 11 lakh 25 thousand crore rupees. Advance Tax collection stands at over nine lakh 11 thousand crore rupees.

The Finance Ministry said, refunds amounting to three lakh 36 thousand 808 crore rupees have also been issued in the Financial Year 2023-24 which is 12.74 percent higher in comparison to the refunds issued during the same period in the preceding year.

Strawberry Festival

Strawberry, the sweet and juicy delicious fruit of Meghalaya attracts everyone. Tourists also want to see strawberry cultivation. The juicy strawberries here are famous throughout the country for their sweetness.
With the aim of promoting the popularity of Meghalaya’s strawberry, Strawberry Festival will be celebrated in the state from April 5 to 13.

The state tourism, agriculture and farmers welfare departments are organizing it. During ‘Strawberry Mahotsav’, programs will be organized to motivate farmers to take up strawberry horticulture.
It is worth noting that the Directorate of Horticulture has planted strawberry plants in Meghalaya on a large scale under various central and state programmes. On the other hand, the strawberry harvest season has also started in the state.

The festival will be organized near strawberry fields in Sintung and Nohron in East Khasi Hills district, Umkatih and Sohlia in Rebhoi district, Baladinggre, Darechikgre, Durkantragre villages in West Garo Hills district.
Such events in rural areas will not only boost agri-tourism and local business centers but will also motivate a large number of farmers to cultivate strawberries.

SAKHI: The Lifeline for Gaganyaan Crew

Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) has developed SAKHI, a revolutionary app aimed at aiding astronauts during the Gaganyaan space flight mission. SAKHI, or Space-borne Assistant and Knowledge Hub for Crew Interaction, offers indispensable support across various critical aspects of the mission.

SAKHI provides astronauts with digital access to technical documents and training manuals, eliminating the need for cumbersome manual documentation.
The app monitors astronauts’ physical condition by tracking key parameters such as blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation. It also alerts them about dietary schedules, hydration levels, and sleep patterns, ensuring their well-being throughout the mission.

Astronauts can use SAKHI to maintain a detailed log of the mission, utilizing multiple formats including voice recordings, texts, and images for efficient documentation.
SAKHI facilitates continuous communication between the crew, the onboard computer, and ground-based stations, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity with Earth. Gaganyaan Human Spaceflight Mission Overview
The Gaganyaan mission aims to launch a crew of three members into a Low Earth Orbit for a three-day mission, with a safe return to Earth by landing in Indian sea waters.

Mission will utilize LVM3, consisting of solid, liquid, and cryogenic stages, ensuring safe and reliable transportation for the crew.
Responsible for coordinating the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme, the centre oversees the implementation of the Gaganyaan project, ensuring its successful execution.
ISRO has conducted key experiments and tests for the mission, with a projected cost of less than Rs. 10,000 crore.
Four astronaut-designates, all IAF test pilots, have been identified for the mission. The final crew will be selected from among these candidates.
Upon successful completion, India will join the elite group of nations—Soviet Union/Russia, United States, and People’s Republic of China—as the fourth nation to conduct independent human spaceflight.

Vaughan Gething

Vaughan Gething, Wales’ Economic Minister, makes history as the first Black leader of a European country after being elected as the new head of the Welsh Labour Party.
Born in Zambia in 1974, he faced discrimination, later becoming a trade union lawyer.
Gething entered politics in 2011, serving as health minister during the Covid-19 pandemic and now as economy minister.

His priorities as First Minister include tackling the cost-of-living crisis, supporting farmers, and improving healthcare and education. His election underscores the increasing diversity in UK leadership, with three of the four major governments now led by non-white individuals.
As Wales’ First Minister, Gething signifies a significant step forward in promoting diversity and representation in leadership roles across Europe and the United Kingdom.

World Happiness Report

The World Happiness Report is an annual survey conducted by the United Nations. It ranks countries based on factors like life satisfaction, GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and corruption.
For the seventh year in a row, Finland has been named the happiest country in the world. Other Nordic countries like Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden also ranked among the top 10 happiest nations.

At the bottom of the list is Afghanistan, which has been plagued by a humanitarian crisis since the Taliban regained control in 2020.
The United States and Germany dropped out of the top 20 happiest countries for the first time, ranking 23rd and 24th, respectively.
Costa Rica and Kuwait entered the top 20 at positions 12 and 13.
The report noted that the happiest countries no longer include any of the world’s largest countries.
India ranked 126 in the happiness index, the same as the previous year.
Factors like marital status, social engagement, and physical health also influence life satisfaction among older Indians.
Satisfaction with living arrangements emerges as a critical factor, reflecting the strong desire among older Indians to age in place and maintain autonomy and social bonds.

India has the second-largest older population globally, with 140 million individuals aged 60 and above, trailing only China.
The report said that older Indian men, particularly those in higher age brackets, presently married, and those with an education, tend to report greater life satisfaction compared to their counterparts.
Among older Indians, factors such as dissatisfaction with living arrangements, perceived discrimination, and poor self-rated health are linked to lower life satisfaction. Education level, social caste, and contentment with living arrangements also play a significant role in life satisfaction.

Lakshya Sen

In Badminton, Ace Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen has climbed five places to become the world number 13 in the men’s singles category.
The leap in the BWF ranking follows his impressive run at the French Open and the prestigious All England Open. Sen reached the semi finals of both tournaments. With this, Sen solidified his place in the race to the 2024 Paris Olympics. The top 16 players of the BWF ranking can make the cut.

In men’s doubles, Star duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty maintained their world number one spot.
In women’s doubles, the pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto moved three places up to become world number 20 while another Indian pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand dropped four places to become the world number 26.

Among other shuttlers, HS Prannoy dropped one place and is ranked world number nine at the moment due to his early exits from both the French Open and All England, while PV Sindhu is ranked at world number 11 after a round of 16 finish at All England Badminton Open last week.

BhashaNet portal

National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) is proud to announce the launch of the BhashaNet portal for the upcoming Universal Acceptance (UA) Day, scheduled to take place on March 21, 2024, at Dr Ambedkar International Centre in the National Capital.

This will be the second event hosted between NIXI and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), underscoring their joint commitment to promote the UA and advancing digital inclusion across the nation. In addition, it’s noteworthy that Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and the Internet Governance division, MeitY, Government of India are actively supporting UA Day.

The theme of the event, ”BhashaNet: Impetus Towards Universal Acceptance,” highlights NIXI’s dedication to ensuring that individuals, regardless of language or script, can fully participate in the digital world.
Through UA Day, NIXI and MeitY aim to mobilise stakeholders and raise awareness about the importance of UA readiness in today’s digital landscape. The event will feature engaging sessions, including keynote addresses, panel discussions and technical workshops, led by distinguished speakers from various sectors. These discussions will focus on the significance of UA and the steps needed to achieve widespread acceptance.

Current Affairs 21 March Question

SAKHI Seen In News Relates To
A. Lok Sabha Elections
B. Gaganyaan Mission
C. PwD Persons
D. Consumer Grievances Redressal App
ANSWER: D
Strawberry Festival Will Be Hosted In
A. Manipur
B. Mizoram
C. Meghalaya
D. Tripura
ANSWER: C
BhashaNet Portal Is Launched By
A. MeiTy
B. Reliance
C. Ministry Of Agriculture
D. CBSE
ANSWER: A
Recently, Genetic Rescue Has Been Proposed To Conserve The Tiger
Population Of Which National Park
A. Ranthambore National Park
B. Vansda National Park
C. Mukundara National Park
D. Chandoli National Park
ANSWER: A
Air Quality Report 2023 Is Published By Which Organization
A. World Health Organization
B. Swiss organisation IQAir
C. United Nations Environment Programme
D. United Nations Development Programme
ANSWER: B
Developing Countries Trading Scheme Is Associated With Which Country
A. UK
B. USA
C. India
D. Malaysia
ANSWER: A
Mission 414 Campaign Is Launched In Which State
A. Uttar Pradesh
B. Himachal Pradesh
C. Rajasthan
D. Tamil Nadu
ANSWER: B
E- Crop, Crop Simulation Model Based Device, Was Developed by
A. Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasargod
B. Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Kerala
C. Central Island Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair
D. National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack
ANSWER: B
NICDC Signed An Mou With Which Institution To Enhance Development Of
Greenfield Smart Cities
A. IIT Delhi
B. IIT Kanpur
C. IIT Bombay
D. IIT Roorkee
ANSWER: A
Rank Of India In World Bank’s Women, Business And Law Index
A. 112
B. 113
C. 114
D. 115
ANSWER: B
‘e-Kisan Upaj Nidhi’ Is Launched By Which Ministry
A. Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
B. Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution
C. Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
D. Ministry of Food Processing Industries
ANSWER: B
Nainativu Island Is Located In Which One Of The Following Strait
A. Bali Strait
B. Malacca Strait
C. Palk Strait
D. Bass Strait
ANSWER: C
Gevra Mine Is Located In Which State
A. Chhattisgarh
B. Jharkhand
C. Odisha
D. Karnataka
ANSWER: A
Which State Recently Launched India’s First Government-backed OTT Platform
A. Tamil Nadu
B. Karnataka
C. Kerala
D. Maharashtra
ANSWER: C
Phani Yerava Tribe Is Mostly Found In Which State
A. Maharashtra
B. Karnataka
C. Andhra Pradesh
D. Gujarat
ANSWER: B
Gabon Which Was Seen In The News, Is Located In Which Region
A. Africa
B. Europe
C. Australia
D. Asia
ANSWER: A
Thenmala Kullan Seen In News Is Breed Of
A. Cow
B. Horse
C. Buffalo
D. Dog
ANSWER: A
Barberton Greenstone Belt, Is Located In Which Country
A. Western Australia
B. Canada
C. South Africa
D. Russia
ANSWER: C
Recently, Who Has Been Conferred Nritya Kalanidhi Award 2024
A. Vasanthalakshmi Narasimhachari
B. Jayashri
C. Neena Prasad
D. Vid Bragha Bessell
ANSWER: C
Jules Rimet Trophy Is Related To Which Of The Following Sports
A. Hockey
B. Cricket
C. Football
D. Volley ball
ANSWER: C