Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2020

Notes:
International Youth Day is celebrated every year on 12th August. The theme of this year’s International Youth Day is, “Youth Engagement for Global Action”.
In 1998, a resolution to observe August 12 every year as International Youth Day was passed in the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth, which was hosted by the Government of Portugal in cooperation with the United Nations.

Notes:
A Data Recovery Centre of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) named KRISHI MEGH has been launched at Hyderabad by the Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. The objective of establishing the Recovery Centre is to protect the precious data of ICAR.
It is set up at National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM) in Hyderabad. This data center has been set up under National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP), which is funded by the Government of India and World Bank.

Notes:
The Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative was launched by the United States in 2019, aiming to promote women’s economic empowerment.
Recently, India’s Reliance Foundation has partnered with US Agency for International Development (USAID) and W-GDP. The W-GDP Women’s Connect Challenge (WCC) to be launched by the Reliance Foundation to bridge gender digital divide and empower women.

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:
A five-month time extension has been given by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) from 25th March 2020 to 24th August 2020 to all the Renewable Energy Projects under implementation.
The implementing agencies have been directed to treat COVID 19 as a “Force Majeure”. This move is followed by the representation from various implementing agencies demanding extension of time due to COVID 19-imposed national lockdown.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved an annual dividend pay-out of more than Rs 57,000 crore to the Indian Government.
In this year’s budget, the Government had estimated a dividend of Rs 60,000 crore from the central bank and other government owned financial institutions. The Government’s fiscal deficit stood at a record high Rs 6.62 lakh crore in the April-June period.

Notes:
The Center for Biopharma Analysis (CBA), which is set up at Pune has been virtually inaugurated by the Secretary of Department of Bio Technology. It is an initiative of the Venture Centre, which is a Technology Business Incubator hosted by CSIR- National Chemical Laboratory, Pune.
The CBA is supported and funded by National Bio Pharma Mission implemented by the Department of Bio Technology. The CBA is a facility with high end instrumentation which complies with globally accepted standards of Bio pharmaceutical analysis.

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:
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved a proposal of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) to expand to cover border and coastal districts.
The proposal regarding the scheme was announced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day address. As many as one lakh cadets from 173 border and coastal districts will be inducted to the NCC with one-third Cadets being girls. Over 80 NCC units will also be upgraded as a part of this expansion.

Notes:
The 4th Session of the BRICS Anti-Drug Working Group was conducted recently through video conferencing.
Representatives from all 5 member countries: Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa and India participated in the session, which was chaired by Russia. Indian delegation was led by Shri Rakesh Asthana, DG of Narcotics Control Bureau. Misuse of Darknet and advanced technologies for drug trafficking was the theme of the session.