Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2020

Notes:
The US House of Representatives has recently passed a legislation to promote the legacies of Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr.
The bill seeks to set up an educational forum and an exchange programme for Indian and American students to study about the two great leaders. It also seeks to develop a professional development training initiative based on the principles of non-violence.

Notes:
‘World Day against Trafficking in Persons’ is observed every year on July 30 across the world, to raise awareness of the situation of victims of human trafficking and for protection of their rights.
In the year 2013, the United Nations General Assembly held a high-level meeting to review the Global Plan of Action and designated July 30 as the World Day against Trafficking in Persons. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) assists member countries in their efforts.

Notes:
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has integrated four additional states Jammu & Kashmir, Manipur, Nagaland and Uttarakhand to the One Nation One Ration Card scheme.
With this, the scheme has been enabled in a total of 24 States/UTs across the country. Around 80 percent of the beneficiaries of National Food Security Act (NFSA) have been covered. The Ministry aims to integrate all states/UTs to the scheme by March 2021.

Notes:
NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) has recently launched an Incubator Capabilities enhancement program named ‘AIM iCREST’.
AIM has collaborated with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Wadhwani Foundation for support and expertise in entrepreneurship and innovation. The program aims to support start-ups in knowledge transfer and reaching global markets.

Notes:
As per the National Hurricane Center of the United States, North Carolina has recently witnessed a Hurricane Isaias.
The hurricane has made a landfall near Ocean Isle Beach in North Carolina. More than a dozen tornadoes have been reported in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. At least 2 people is said to have been killed in the hurricane.

Notes:
Sanskrit Diwas also known as ‘Vishva samskrita dinam’ is celebrated on the full moon of the ‘Shravana’ month of Hindu calendar.
This year, Sanskrit Day that promotes the revival of the language is celebrated on August 3. All India Radio broadcasted the first special program in Sanskrit titled ‘Bahujan Bhasha – Sanskrit Bhasha’ to mark the occasion.

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.

Notes:
The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is a flagship initiative of the NITI Aayog to promote innovation and entrepreneurship across the country.
AIM conducts the ATL Tinkering Marathon, a national annual innovation challenge in partnership with MyGOV. AIM has released the results of the 2019 edition of the challenge. As many as 150 winners of the Marathon was announced by the AIM.

Notes:
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has recently developed a mobile application named ‘COVID19BWM’.
Municipal corporations and state pollution boards are directed to upload data regarding collection and disposal of Covid-19 biomedical waste from residences and quarantine centres, in the app. This was also mandated by the Supreme Court.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) held its second bi-monthly monetary meeting of FY 2020-21 on August 6, 2020.
After the meeting, the RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das announced that the central bank has decided to keep the key policy rates unchanged with ‘accommodative stance’. Hence, the repo rate will remain at 4 per cent and the reverse repo at 3.35 per cent. There were two rate cuts in March and May.