Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2020

Notes:
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee has partnered with leading online learning platform Coursera, to offer two new certificate programs in Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning (ML) and in Data science. It is proposed to launch these programmes in 2021.
The certificate program in AI& ML would comprise of lectures, on hand learning, team projects and workshops. The certificate program in data science will impart skills in data management, data collection and critical thinking.

Notes:
The cabinet of Odisha has approved the tender amounting Rs.1138 crore for implementation of its ambitious irrigation project named “Gangadhar Meher Lift Canal System”.
The irrigation project would irrigate 25,600 hectares of agricultural land in drought hit regions of Barghar and Sonepur districts of Odisha. The project was first announced in the year 2017. The implementing agency will be announced soon.

Notes:
Soumya Swaminathan, the Chief Scientist of World Health Organisation, was conferred with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s special award, for her advisory role in fighting the COVID-19 in the state.
The Chief Minister’s Best Practices award was given to the Department of treasuries. Greater Chennai Corporation and Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation were also awarded for their significant roles in the fight against the pandemic.

Notes:
Legendary Indian classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj has recently passed away in the United States, at the age of 90.
During his musical career spanning over 80 years, he has won several prestigious awards including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and Fellowship, Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan. He was also honoured with the second highest civilian award Padma Vibhushan in the year 2000.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released the framework for setting up of a new umbrella entity for retail payments.
It will operate as a ‘for-profit’ company that will have minimum paid-up capital of Rs 500 crore. It will set up and operate the payment systems such as ATMs, white-label PoS and Aadhaar-based payments. The company will also manage clearing and settlement systems of banks/ non-banks.

Notes:
The Mysuru Zoo in Karnataka is the second Indian zoo to have African hunting cheetahs after the Hyderabad zoo.
Under the Animal Exchange Programme, the zoo has acquired one male and two female African hunting Cheetah from Ann Van Dyke Cheetah Centre at Johannesburg, South Africa. One female Cheetah of age 15 months and two male Cheetahs of age 14 and 16 months are brought by air.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet has recently approved to set up a new entity named ‘National Recruitment Agency (NRA)’ to carry out a national Common Entrance Test (CET).
This exam would be a common screening test for non-gazetted vacancies in both departments of Central government and public sector organisations. It is to conduct first level tests currently conducted by agencies like SSC, RRB and IBPS among others.

Notes:
All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Delhi Police for providing door step Ayurvedic preventive health services to Delhi Police.
The service which is supported by AYUSH Ministry, would be provided by a mobile unit of AIIA named ‘Dhanwantari Rath’. It would also be available in the Police Wellness Centers. This is a part of “AYURAKSHA”, a joint venture of AIIA & Delhi Police for maintaining the health of Delhi police personnel during the COVID 19 pandemic.

Notes:
A proposal for leasing out Jaipur, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram airports through public-private partnership (PPP) has been cleared by the Union Cabinet.
The rights to run these airports in addition to Lucknow, Ahmedabad and Mangaluru airports have been awarded to Adani Enterprises by way of competitive bidding. Presently, these six airports are owned by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

Notes:
Banks Board Bureau has recommended Ashwini Bhatia for the position of Managing Director (MD) of the State Bank of India (SBI).
The Personnel Ministry has appointed Ashwani Bhatia for the said position, up to the date of his superannuation (May 31, 2022). He is currently serving as the MD and CEO at SBI Mutual Fund, and will replace P K Gupta who retired on March 31.