Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2020

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:
Considered as extinct over seventy years back, the Woolly flying squirrel was spotted at Gangotri National Park in Uttarakhand.
As per the Forest Research Institute, the flying squirrel was added in the IUCN Red List. It was spotted during the survey conducted in the national park. The animal uses its wool-like furry claws like a parachute and fly.

Notes:
The Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka has stated that an industrial corridor between Mysuru and Bidar would be built by the state to promote the development of industry and commerce.
The proposed industrial corridor would be in line with Bengaluru-Chennai and Bengaluru- Mumbai corridors. This project forms a significant part of the state’s target to make it a USD 500 billion market in next 5 years.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has recently approved to rename the Manduadih railway station in Uttar Pradesh as ‘Banaras’.
The state government of Uttar Pradesh had earlier sent a request to the Home Ministry for renaming the railway station in its Varanasi district. The Home Ministry issued a no-objection certificate after consulting with the Ministry of Railways, Department of Posts and Survey of India.

Notes:
The Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot has launched a subsidised meal scheme named ‘Indira Rasoi Yojana’.
It aims to provide subsidised meals to the poor and needy in the state at Rs 8 per plate with dignity. Earlier, the state was implementing a similar scheme named Annapurna Rasoi Yojana from 2016. The scheme was launched on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the ‘Sadbhavana Diwas’.

Notes:
As per a recent release by the Government, India ranks first in terms of number of organic farmers and 9th in terms of area under organic farming.
In order to boost organic farming, the Union Government had launched “Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North East Region” (MOVCD) and “Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana” (PKVY) in 2015. Sikkim became the first state in the world to become fully organic in farming.

Notes:
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved a one-time relaxation to Power Finance Corporation (PFC) and Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) for extending loans to state-owned electricity distribution companies (Discoms).
This measure has been made by the Government to inject liquidity into Discoms, as a part of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Scheme. As per the existing guidelines, Discoms can avail working capital loans equal to 25% of last year’s revenues, under UDAY scheme from PFC and REC.

Notes:
Union Ministry of Power recommends all power generating companies and transmission companies to charge Late payment surcharge (LPS) within 12% per annum.
In many cases, LPS is up to 18 per cent per annum and the high cap has adversely impacted Discoms during the nation-wide lockdown. This measure aims at easing the financial burden on Discoms as well as the consumers.

Notes:
Researchers at IIT – Bombay and Shiv Nadar University have claimed that they have developed a technology to produce environment friendly Lithium-Sulfur (Li-S) batteries.
The Li-S batteries would be three times more energy efficient and cost effective than conventional Lithium-ion batteries. The production of Li-S batteries uses products from the petroleum industry and agro-waste along with co polymers, and thus has a positive impact on environment.

Notes:
As per the recent notification from the Personnel Ministry, over 700 districts have participated in the Prime minister’s awards for excellence in public administration.
The awards will be conferred on October 31, the Ekta Diwas (Unity Day), at the Statue of Unity in Gujarat by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The award is to recognise the performance of District Collectors towards economic development of their regions.