Current Affairs Quiz-December, 2019

Notes:
Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment conferred Uttar Pradesh with the National Award of Excellence for doing a commendable job in the field of rehabilitation of persons with disabilities (Divyangjan). Uttar Pradesh also received the award for the best state in the implementation of Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan. The department’s website also received the award as the best portal for being disabled-friendly while Varanasi has been awarded for offering the best rehabilitation services among the districts.

Notes:
In 1996 the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed that 7 December was to be the International Civil Aviation Day. The day has been celebrated by the International Civil Aviation Organization since 7 December 1994, the 50th anniversary of the signing the Convention on International Civil Aviation. The purpose of the day is to recognize the importance of aviation, especially international air travel, to the social and economic development of the world.

Notes:
Indian Government has declared Port of Mongla and Chattogram as Ports of Call under Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWT&T) between India and Bangladesh. Mongla and Chattogram are declared as Ports of Call under the Coastal Shipping Agreement between India and Bangladesh. An MoU, Agreement and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was signed between India and Bangladesh on the use of Chattogram Port & Mongla Ports for the movement of goods to and from India.

Notes:
ISRO has set-up a Space Technology Incubation Centre (S-TIC) at the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Tiruchirappalli. The centre will work with ISRO on the technical problems at hand related to the future Space programmes and shall provide solutions. This S-TIC will cater to the southern region of India, including Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamilnadu, Telangana, the Union Territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry.

Notes:
Leading stock exchange NSE on December 6,2019  appointed Public Interest Director Girish Chandra Chaturvedi as its new chairman. The appointment comes following the approval of the markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). The position was vacant since Ashok Chawla resigned as the chairman of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in January 2019.

Notes:
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has announced changes in its health insurance policy in order to provide benefits to employees involved in LGBT employees, a same-sex relationship. TCS became the first Tata Group companies to bring the change. The change in health insurance policy will benefit all bisexual, lesbian, gay, and transgender or LGBT employees in the company. The new health policy of the IT services major redefines spouse as a partner. The insurance policy will cover up to 50% cost of sex or gender reassignment surgery.

Notes:
Madhya Pradesh State government sanctioned a sum of Rs.156 crore for the development of Omkareshwar. It was approved in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Kamal Nath. The State government had earlier sanctioned Rs.300 crore for development of areas in and around Ujjains Mahakaleshwar and a jyotirlinga shrine located in Madhya Pradesh.
Omkareshwar: It is a famous pilgrimage centre.  It houses one of the 12 jyotirlinga shrines of Lord Shiva.  It is located about 80km from Indore.

Notes:
Minister of Jalshakti said that Ganga has become one of 10 cleanest rivers in the world among the major rivers category. The announcement was made by the Jalshakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat at the 4th India Water Impact Summit, 2019 in New Delhi.
The Centre is committed to ensuring the cleanliness and uninterrupted flow of the Ganga. India has only 4% of the world’s drinking water while 18% of the world’s human and equivalent livestock population. The integrated water management is need of the hour and people’s participation is also required to make it successful.
Ganga Aamantran Abhiyan, a massive river rafting expedition, was launched on 10 October 2019. Centre approved the establishment of the Clean Ganga Fund (CGF).

Notes:
Caroll Spinney, the puppeteer who brought beloved “Sesame Street” characters Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch to life, died. Spinney passed away at his Connecticut home after battling dystonia, a common movement disorder. He was 85. The legendary puppeteer was known for his “kind and loving view of the world,” giving two of the show’s most iconic characters the joyous (and grouchy) personalities that viewers around the world adored.

Notes:
Saudi Arabia has abolished its age-old rule that mandated separate entrances and seating areas for men and women. The gulf nation’s Municipal and Rural Affairs Ministry lifted the ban through a twitter announcement. Earlier, all restaurants in Saudi Arabia were required to have one entrance for women and families and another entrance for men dining on their own. Unrelated men and women were barred for decades from mixing in public places. This was decreed by the strict social rules put in place decades ago by the hardline clerics.