Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2020

Notes:
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently signed an MoU with National Institute of Technology (NITK), Suratkal located in Karnataka, to set up its regional academic centre for space research at the institution. The academic centre would jointly participate in research and development in emerging space technologies. ISRO would also provide an annual financial support of Rs. 2 Crore to the centre for the research projects.

Notes:
Automobile Major Hyundai recently unveiled an air electric taxi, developed in collaboration with Uber, in the Consumer Electronics Show 2020.
According to their partnership, Hyundai will develop and deploy vehicles and Uber will provide support service, ground transport connection and customer Interface. Uber is to launch urban commercial flights by 2023 and Hyundai is its first carmaker partner in the project.

Notes:
The Central Statistical Office recently released the first advance estimates of the Gross Domestic Product of India for 2019-2020. The CSO forecasted the GDP growth rate of India to be 5 % in the current fiscal year.
The CSO had earlier estimated the GDP growth of the previous fiscal to be 6.8%. The reason for the decrease in the growth rate is cited to the slowdown in manufacturing sector. The Reserve Bank of India also estimated 5% as the GDP growth rate for this fiscal.

Notes:
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) recently announced that it will observe 2020 as the ‘Year of mobility’. It was also announced that special attention would be provided towards creation of more residential units and welfare measures for their troops. The announcement was made by the Director General of CISF, Rajesh Ranjan.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) is a Central Armed Police force under the Ministry of Home affairs, headquartered at New Delhi.

Notes:
The Director General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) recently announced that the ‘Farmers’ Innovation Fund’ would be set by next financial year. The announcement was made during the Farmers’ Science Congress, the first of its kind event, organised as a part of the National Science Congress.
He announced that an innovation centre would be established in New Delhi, which would assist the farmers in their research and would authenticate the innovations of the farmers. At present, the Krishi Vigyan Kendras record the innovations of farmers.

Notes:
Article 30 of the Indian Constitution confers the right on minorities to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice. This right is provided to all language and religious minorities.
The Article was recently in news because the Supreme Court of India held that the appointment of teachers in minority educational institutions can be regulated by the Government and it will not violate Article 30. As per the judgement, the institutions cannot have an absolute right on the appointment.

Notes:
The Department of Agriculture of the state of Maharashtra has seamlessly integrated the state’s land records with the web portal of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). It is the first state in the country to perform such linkage.
After the records are linked online, the farmers are required to provide only their Aadhar number, details of bank and the land records, during the process of insuring crops. The process which is implemented during the current rabi season, is expected to improve efficiency and transparency of the system.

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The State Bank of India’s economic research department has lowered its projection for the GDP growth rate of India for FY 20 to 4.6%. Earlier it has projected the GDP rate to be 5%.
The research department also estimated that the GDP of India would be below 6% for two successive years. The CSO also recently estimated the GDP growth of FY20 to be 5%, in lines with the Reserve Bank of India. But the RBI projected 5.9 – 6.3% growth rate for the next fiscal.

Notes:
About 1.46 crore voters (80.55 lakh males + 66.35 lakh females) will have a chance to vote in the Delhi assembly elections on February 8. The results will be declared on February 11. Delhi Legislative Assembly has 70 seats of which 67 seats were won by AAP in last elections.

Notes:
The article 19 (1) (a) confers the right to freedom of speech and expression while the sub clause (g) of the article provides the right to practise any profession, or to carry on any occupation, trade or business.
Recently the Supreme Court of India declared that freedom of speech and expression and freedom to carry on a business through Internet also enjoys constitutional protection under the Article 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(g). This landmark judgement came at the backdrop of the five-month restriction on Internet imposed in the Jammu and Kashmir UT.