Current Affairs Quiz- September, 2019

Notes:
The Himachal Pradesh government has launched Mukhya  Mantri Seva Sankalp Helpline 1100 for speedy and time-bound redressal of public grievances. The helpline will function 6 days a week (Monday-Saturday) from 7 am to 10 pm. 

Notes:
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has signed Memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for development of human centric systems specific to the Human Space Mission (HSM) under the Gaganyaan project. Some of the critical technologies to be provided by the DRDO to ISRO include space food, space crew health monitoring and emergency survival kit, radiation measurement and protection, and parachutes for safe recovery of crew module. The aim of the ISRO is to demonstrate human spaceflight capability before the 75th anniversary of India’s independence in 2022.

Notes:
In New Delhi, the Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has launched the common digital platform for the issuance of electronic Certificates of Origin (CoO). This platform will be a single access point for all exporters, for all FTAs/PTAs and for all agencies concerned. The Certificate of Origin (CoO) will be issued electronically if agreed to by the partner countries. The authorities of partner countries will be able to verify the authenticity of certificates from the website. The new platform reduces transaction costs and time for exporters.

Notes:
Air Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria, who played a key role in negotiating the Rafale deal, has been appointed the new Chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF). He will take charge from the incumbent Chief B S Dhanoa on September 30 on his superannuation.

Notes:
Nasscom’s Data Security Council of India (DSCI) has recently collaborated with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and Google India to launch a nationwide awareness campaign ‘Digital Payment Abhiyan’. The campaign will educate end-users on the benefits of making digital payments and urge them to adopt security and safety best practices. The pan-India campaign has crafted in seven languages — Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali and Marathi — and will engage with users and make them aware of the dos and don’ts for different payment channels including UPI, wallets, cards as well as net-banking and mobile banking,

Notes:
The Uttarakhand government has decided to make Sanskrit language compulsory in all government and private schools from Classes 3 to 8. According to estimates, over 89% of the populace of the state speaks the four languages including Hindi (45%) followed by Garhwali (23.03%), Kumaoni (19.94%) and Jaunsari (1.35%). Interestingly, main regional languages Kumaon and Garhwali have been accorded the status of endangered languages by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 

Notes:
Madhukar Kamath, chairman emeritus of advertising firm DDB Mudra Group, has been unanimously elected chairman of the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) for 2019-20. Beside this, he is the president of Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and also the  chairman of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI).

Notes:
The book, titled “From Leeches to Slug Glue: 25 Explosive Ideas that Made (and Are Making) Modern Medicine” has been written by bestselling author Roopa Pai. In its 25 chapters, the book explores breakthroughs like vaccination, anaesthesia, X-rays and the germ theory, apart from revolutionary ideas like compassionate care for the mentally ill and mandatory hand-washing for surgeons.

Notes:
The Kerala High Court has recently ruled that the right to have access to the Internet is part of the fundamental Right to Education (RTE) & also the Right to Privacy under Article 21 of the Constitution. The verdict came on a petition filed by a Kozhikode college student challenging her expulsion for not adhering to restrictions on the use of mobile phone.

Notes:
The report titled, ‘Keeladi-An Urban Settlement of Sangam Age on the Banks of River Vaigai’ has recently published by the Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department (TNAD). The report is the major turning point in the cultural historiography of the ancient Sangam Age, which is generally considered between 300 BC and 300AD. In it, TNAD stated that the cultural deposits unearthed during excavations at Keeladi in Sivaganga district could be safely dated to a period between 6th century BCE and 1st century CE. Hence, the recent scientific dates obtained for Keeladi findings push back the date of Tamil-Brahmi script to another century, i.e. 6th century BCE.