Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2020

Notes:
The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a new platform ‘Transparent Taxation – Honoring the Honest’.
The platform aims to ease the compliance and fast- track the refunds so that all honest taxpayers are benefitted. Three main features of the platform include faceless assessment, faceless appeal and tax payers’ charter.

Notes:
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel have agreed to establish full diplomatic ties. With this, the UAE has become the first Gulf Arab country to establish diplomatic relations with Israel.
UAE also became the third Arab country to enter into diplomatic ties with Israel. This agreement is a part of the deal to stop the annexation of occupied land sought by the Palestinians for their future state. US President Donald Trump announced about the strategic ties.

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:
The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently delivered his Independence Day speech on August 15, 2020.
In the speech, he mentioned about the launch of two new projects: Project Lion and Project Dolphin. The Project Lion aims to conserve Asiatic Lions and its landscape in a holistic manner. It will also help to tackle the Human-wildlife conflict and provide livelihood opportunities. Project Dolphin aims to conserve and protect Dolphins in the rivers and in oceans.

Notes:
The National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) has been launched by the Prime Minster of India on the 74th Independence Day.
The NDHM aims to digitalise the health systems with health IDs for every Indian. The mission seeks to create Digital health records, Digital registry of Doctors and health facilities across the nation. It also proposes to include e-Pharmacy and Tele- Medicine at a later stage.

Notes:
Chetan Chauhan, a former Indian cricketer passed away due to COVID-19 related ailments. Chauhan had turned into a politician and was a minister in the Uttar Pradesh state cabinet.
Chentan Chauhan had played 40 Test matches for India and was 73 years old when he passed away. He had served at various positions in the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA).

Notes:
A Quality control laboratory for seafood processors and exporters has been opened by Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) at Porbandar, Gujarat.
The lab helps the exporters in testing of seafood to ensure safety as per international regulatory standards. The lab is equipped with advanced instruments to test and analyse antibiotic residues and heavy-metals like arsenic, mercury in seafood.

Notes:
People’s Bank of China (PBOC) has acquired a small equity stake in the leading Indian private sector bank, ICICI Bank.
It is one among the 357 institutional investors which had subscribed to the issue of the Qualified institutional investors (QIP) placement, of Rs 15,000 crore. PBOC has invested Rs 15 crore in the issue. It had earlier bought a stake in leading institution, HDFC.

Notes:
India’s top order batsman Rohit Sharma has been recommended for this year’s Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, India’s highest sporting honour. If awarded, Rohit Sharma will be the 4th cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli to be conferred with the award.
Vinesh Phogat (wrestling), Manika Batra (Table Tennis), Rani Rampal (Hockey) and M Thangavelu (Paralympics) have also been recommended for the award.

Notes:
Union External Affairs Minister S Jai Shankar has represented India in the roundtable of ASEAN-India Network of Think Tanks (AINTT) held recently.
The 6th Roundtable of AINTT was held through a webinar and its theme was “ASEAN-India: Strengthening Partnership in the Post-COVID Era”. As per the Minister, the global loss due to Covid-19 is in the range of USD 5.8 to 8.8 trillion or 6.5 to 9.7 per cent of the global GDP.