Current Affairs Quiz- September, 2019

Notes:
IIT Kharagpur has collaborated with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to develop a National Artificial Intelligence Resource Portal (NAIRP) to promote learning and development in the artificial intelligence (AI). The aim of the portal is to make the search for AI learning resources simpler and more accessible to learners, practitioners and researchers in India. The initiative has got funding from the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MoHRD), as part of the National Digital Library of India (NDLI) project which is being spearheaded by the premier institute. NAIRP will index a wide variety of AI-specific learning materials and allow interested candidates access to different resources for converting concepts into working modules.

Notes:
The Punjab Employment Generation Department (PEGD) has decided to play the role of a recruitment agency for the youth wanting to go abroad for studies and work. It will also set up a special cell to send the youth for studies abroad. The move came after regular complaints of fraud by travel agents. The special cell will have a tie-up with foreign public universities which offer education at reasonable rates. This will not only save students from frauds but also help them financially as the commission which foreign institutes pay to the agents would be returned to them. This facility is already available in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Telangana.

Notes:
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has launched the first-ever ‘Terracotta Grinder’ at Sewapuri in Varanasi. This machine can be used to grind wasted and broken pottery items for re-use in pottery-making. The Terracotta grinder was designed by the KVIC Chairman and fabricated by a Rajkot-based engineering unit. It will make grinding of wasted pottery items faster than the traditional mortar and pestle. It will lessen the cost of production and will also help in solving the problem of shortage of clays. The machine will also be a boon for potters as Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Nitin Gadkari has proposed to introduce Kulhads and other terracotta products at 400 prominent railway stations. The proposal is under active consideration of the Railways.

Notes:
The 4th South-Asian Speaker’s Summit was recently held in Male, Maldives. The summit was meant to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) but Pakistan tried to raise the issue of abrogation of Article 370 provisions on Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) despite not being part of the agenda. The Indian delegation in the summit was represented by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Harivansh Narayan Singh. Though, India maintained that J&K is an internal matter. The summit adopted the Male Declaration & ignored Pakistan’s concern on Kashmir.

Notes:
The famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has been adjudged as the India’s ‘Best Swachh Iconic Place’ on the basis of the overall improvement in sanitation. The ranking of Swachh Iconic Places was recently released by the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of drinking water and sanitation. The initiatives of water kiosks, reverse vending machines, equip dung management centre, installation of kill waste machine, collection, transportation, and disposal of waste along with regular mopping up of waste though a workforce of 1300 sanitation workers (Shrine cadre and outsourced) have enabled the shrine to achieve the top rank. The President will confer the prestigious award to the Shrine during the Swachh Mahotsav to be organized by the Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation on the 6th September 2019.

Notes:
The 15th edition of the joint military exercise “Yudh Abhyas 2019” is being conducted between India and United States at Joint Base Lewis Mc Chord in Washington, USA from 05-18 September. It is one of the largest joint running military training and defence corporation endeavors between India and USA. The exercise will provide an opportunity to the armed forces of both countries to train in an integrated manner at Battalion level with joint planning at Brigade level. Both armies will jointly train, plan and execute a series of well developed operations for neutralization of threats of varied nature.

Notes:
Union Tourism and Culture Minister, Prahlad Singh Patel has recently flagged off the first Mobile Science Exhibition (MSE) at Leh Palace in Leh. For the first time, a national programme is being launched from Leh. The aim of the programme is to popularize Science and Technology (S&T) among students as well as the people. The MSE programme is specially designed in a bus so that it can reach the doorsteps of people. The bus will travel from school to school in rural areas and organize exhibitions throughout the year. Along with the exhibition, some other programmes like Sky Observation Programme through telescope, science film show, Science Demonstration Lectures etc will also be organized. The programme carries a number of interactive exhibits related to everyday science. Each specially designed bus contains 20 interactive exhibits. The Culture Ministry will launch 25 Mobile Science Exhibition buses across the country.

Notes:
The digital transformation and IT services major, Wipro Limited has bagged a strategic contract valued at $300 million from the ICICI Bank to provide digital technology led services. Under the contract, Wipro will offer a comprehensive suite of services to ICICI Bank for the next 7 years. Earlier, Mumbai-based IT services firm Vara lnfotech was providing these services to the ICICI Bank. As part of this strategic deal, Wipro will absorb about 3,800 employees of Vara lnfotech along with its existing contracts, facilities and assets, on a going concern basis, through a business transfer agreement for an all cash consideration of  Rs 321 crore. This transaction is expected to be completed during the quarter ending September 30, 2019 and is subject to customary closing conditions.

Notes:
On 5th September, Afghanistani leg spinner Rashid Khan (20) has scripted history as he became the youngest-ever Test captain after leading his team against Bangladesh in the one-off Test. Previously, the record was held by former Zimbabwe wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu. At the age of 19 years and 165 days, Rashid Khan  had also become the youngest player to captain an international side.

Notes:
According to the latest report by World Gold Council (WGC), United States leads the country list with total gold reserves of 8,133.5 tonnes followed by Germany (3,366.8 tonnes), InternationalMonetary Fund (IMF) (2,451.8 tonnes),Italy (2,451.8 tonnes) and France (2,436.1 tonnes). India is at the 10th spot with 618.2 tonnes. Interestingly, in terms of individualcountries, India actually ranks 9th since the IMF occupies the third positionafter the U.S. and Germany.