Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2020

Notes:
A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Unnat Bharat Abhiyan-Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (UBA-IITD) and Vijnana Bharti (VIBHA), New Delhi.
The objective of the MoU is to provide joint action in the area of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) for rural development of India. UBA is a flagship program of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) by connecting academic institutions with local communities.

Notes:
The UK India Business Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Industrial Extension Bureau (iNDEXTb), Industries and Mines Department of the state government of Gujarat.
This partnership between the UKIBC and Gujarat will help to boost business and industrial development in the state. UKIBC will also help to increase investment opportunities and provide market access to the businesses.

Notes:
In the month of May, the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had reduced EPF contribution by 4% for three months of May, June and July.
2% of employer’s contribution and 2% of employee’s contribution were reduced. This step was taken as a part of relief measures announced by the Government during the Covid-19 pandemic. From the month of August, the effective contribution will come back to the old deduction rate of 24%.

Notes:
Northern Railway operated the first-ever Vyapar Mala Express train from Delhi to Jirania in Tripura. It has 46 wagons and 34 of them were loaded with wheat and the remaining with rice and pulses.
Railways is said to have earned more than 94 lakh rupees from this Vyapar Mala Express train. This is an express service which aims to reach its destination in a shorter time, as the train will be monitored on a real-time basis.

Notes:
The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has touched a record high transaction of 1.49 billion in the month of July.
This is its highest count of transactions since its inception and a 11% growth over that of the previous month. The monthly transactions were worth Rs 2.9 trillion. IMPS recorded 222.1 million transactions in July while Bharat Bill Payment Services hit 20.16 million transactions.

Notes:
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has unveiled the draft ‘Defence Production & Export Promotion Policy (DPEPP) 2020’ for public feedback.
As per the policy, the aim is to achieve Defence and Aerospace exports of USD 5 billion by the year 2025. It also seeks to increase the manufacturing turnover in Defence sector to $25 bn or ₹1,75,000 crore.

Notes:
The state government of Andhra Pradesh signed an MoU with leading Multinational companies such as ITC, Procter and Gamble and Hindustan Unilever Limited.
The MoU seeks to conduct skill-based training programmes for women in rural areas of the state aged between 45-60 years. The state would also launch a scheme called YSR Cheyutha to provide financial assistance to women belonging to backward and scheduled communities.

Notes:
India has recently contributed a sum of USD 15.46 million to the India-UN Development Partnership Fund.
India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti handed over it to the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC). This UN Office manages the India-UN Development Partnership Fund. In the 15 million fund, USD 6 million goes to the overall fund and the remaining to the Commonwealth countries.

Notes:
Union MSME Minister Nitin Gadkari has approved the employment generation program proposed by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) to promote Agarbatti production.
Named the ‘Khadi Agarbatti Atma Nirbhar Mission’, the scheme aims to create employment for the unemployed and migrant workers across the country. KVIC will provide Automatic Agarbatti making machines in subsidised prices.

Notes:
As per a recent statement by the Union Consumer Affairs Ministry, over 44 lakh tonnes food grains were lifted by States and Union Territories till date.
The food grains were taken under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana-2. Under the scheme, around 201 lakh tonnes food grains will be distributed among 81 crore beneficiaries. The scheme has been implemented from July 1 will be implemented till November 2020.