Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2020

Notes:
The Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Bhupesh Baghel has announced the launch of a new scheme called ‘Indira Van Mitan Yojana’.
The scheme was announced on the occasion of World Tribal Day. It aims to make the forest dwellers in the state self-reliant. Under this scheme, groups of youth will be formed in 10,000 villages of the state and all forest-based economic activities will be conducted via these groups.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs has announced that all nine museums sanctioned for tribal freedom fighters will be completed by the end of 2022.
Out of the total nine museums that are being built, two will be completed soon. The largest of the museums is being built in Rajpipla in Gujarat at a project outlay of around Rs 100 crore. The Prime Minister announced about these museums in the year 2016.

Notes:
The United States has entered into an agreement with drugmaker Moderna to acquire 100 million doses of its potential COVID-19 vaccine.
The deal has been signed for a cost of around USD 1.5 billion. The United States, as part of its Operation Warp Speed program, has partnered with several companies to acquire millions of doses of potential COVID-19 vaccines, by the end of the year.

Notes:
The National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 chaired by Dr V K Paul, Member NITI Aayog, met for the first time on 12th August. The meeting was co-chaired by Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The expert group has been constituted under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It discussed on the parameters required in selecting the COVID-19 vaccine candidates for India and procurement mechanisms for COVID-19 vaccine.

Notes:
The construction work of the Katra (Jammu and Kashmir) – Delhi Express Road Corridor is proposed to be completed in 3 years and will be operational by 2023. The express corridor would bring down the travel time from Katra to Delhi to around six and half hours.
One key feature of this road is that it will connect the holy cities of Katra and Amritsar, and other major religious shrines between the two destinations.

Notes:
Gujarat-based Zydus Cadila launches the country’s cheapest version of Remdesivir, under the brand name Remdac.
The generic version of the medicine will be used for treating patients suffering from severe symptoms of Covid-19. A 100-mg vial has been priced at Rs 2800 and this the most economical medicine so far. It will be available across the country.

Notes:
An Ayurveda Based Biodegradable Face Mask named “Pavitrapati” has been developed by Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, (DIAT) Pune.
In this regard, an agreement was signed between DIAT Pune and a private company for mass development of the product. The company has now offered the face mask for sale. Similarly, the technology of developing anti-microbial body suit named “Aushada tara” is also transferred to the company.

Notes:
India’s leading private sector bank, HDFC Bank has recently announced the launch of “Shaurya KGC Card” for the armed forces.
This card has been designed based on the Kisan Credit Card guidelines by the Government. More than 45 lakh Indian armed force personnel would get a life cover ranging from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. It also requires simple documentation suited to the job nature of the armed force personnel.

Notes:
An assistance of USD 1 million has been extended by India to the Caribbean country Antigua & Barbuda for combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ventilators, full cover goggles, disposable gowns, face shields, examination gloves and disposable masks and hydroxychloroquine tablets were supplied as a part of the assistance. This assistance is for improving health infrastructure facilities in Antigua and Barbuda.

Notes:
The Government of Goa has signed a tri-partite agreement with Siemens and GIZ, a German based agency, for vocational education and training at ITIs (Industrial Training Institutes) of the state.
The Indo-German agreement would facilitate in-plant trainings to students, so that they would be exposed to hands-on experience in their respect domain, thereby improving the employability of the students.