Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2020

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:
Research team from Indian Institute of Science, IISc and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have developed a process for making “Brick like structure” on lunar surface.
The researchers suggest that these bricks could be used for assembling structures in lunar surface. The raw material used is urea and lunar soil. It is developed by using bacteria and guar beans to consolidate the land into load bearing brick like structures.

Notes:
The Platform for Investor Education (PIE) has been launched by the IIM Bangalore and National Stock Exchange (NSE) – Investor Protection Fund Trust.
The platform would help in investor education through simple and easy-to-understand audio-visual format. It will reflect the current developments in financial markets through the research initiative by the faculty of IIM Bangalore.

Notes:
The World’s tallest Pier bridge is being constructed by Indian Railways in Manipur across the river “Ijai”. The height of its tallest pier is 141m. The bridge is a part of Jiribam-Tupul-Imphal railway line project. The existing record for the tallest pier bridge is 139m at Montenegro in Europe.
The bridge is being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs.280 crore and the construction work is expected to be completed by March 2020. The total length of the bridge is estimated to be 703 meters.

Notes:
The Death Valley is a desert valley which is located in Eastern California, USA. Recently, the temperature at the Death Valley’s Furnace Creek is recorded at 54.4°C. This would be hottest temperature officially verified since 1913, as per World Meteorological Organization.
According to the World Meteorological Organization, Death Valley’s all-time record high is 56.7°C that was recorded in the year 1913. It still stands as the hottest ever temperature recorded on the surface of the earth.

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.

Notes:
A recent survey by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has revealed that, over 27 % students do not have access to smart phones or laptops to attend online classes.
The survey also pointed out that lack of electricity was an obstacle in the learning process for nearly 28 % students and parents. Over 34,000 participants participated in the survey by the NCERT on the challenges of online education.

Notes:
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved an increase in Fair and Remunerative Prices (FRP) of sugarcane by Rs.10 per quintal from the existing Rs 275 to Rs.285 per quintal.
The new FRP would come into force from October 2020. This is in line with the recommendations of the Commission of Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).

Notes:
Indira Rasoi scheme has been launched by the Chief Minister of Rajasthan. Under the scheme, poor and needy people will be provided with quality food at Rs 8 per plate in urban areas.
The subsidy is estimated to have an expenditure of Rs 100 crore every year to the state. The scheme will be rolled out in 213 urban local bodies of the state and food will be served to 1.34 lakh people per day.

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.