Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2020

Notes:
Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital is to organise an online international conference on ‘Aerosol Air Quality, Climate Change and Impact on Water Resources and Livelihoods in the Greater Himalayas’.
ARIES, an autonomous research institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST) is organising the conference along with Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University between 14th -16th September 2020.

Notes:
Renowned scientist and the present head of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Dr.G.Satheesh Reddy has been given a 2 year extension as the Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development and Chairman DRDO.
This extension in his service was approved by the Appointments committee of the Union Cabinet. Earlier, he was appointed for the post in August 2018.

Notes:
Ace England Bowler James Anderson has become the first fast bowler to reach 600 wickets in Test matches.
Before his feat, only three spin bowlers had made this achievement, including Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Shane Warne (708) and Anil Kumble (619). Anderson achieved this feat during the third Test against Pakistan at the Rose Bowl.

Notes:
As per a CRISIL report, the average income earned by MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) workers has doubled during the COVID lockdown.
As per the report, the income for unskilled labourers has doubled to around Rs.1000 per month during April to July 2020 from Rs.509 in the previous year. Also, this period witnessed growth in work execution by 46% in person-days.

Notes:
The Union Civil Aviation Minister has recently announced that a total of 78 additional routes has been approved under the fourth batch of Regional Connectivity Scheme—Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagarik (UDAN).
Named as Udan 4.0, the new set of air operations connect Eighteen unserved/underserved airports to metro cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Kochi among others. With this, the total number of sanctioned routes has been increased to 766.

Notes:
A MoU has been signed between the National e-Governance Division (NeGD) and CSC e-Governance Services India. The objective of this association is to make available the UMANG app services to citizens through 3.75 lakh Common Service Centres (CSCs) across the country.
The UMANG stands for “Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance”. The app is a single platform for the citizens to access e governance services ranging of central, state and local government bodies.

Notes:
Japan’s Prime Minister (Premier) Shinzo Abe, who is also the longest-serving premier, has resigned due to poor health.
The term of the ruling party leader and Premier ends in September 2021. After his resignation, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will select a nominee and the winner must be formally elected in Parliament. Abe is known for his famous economic strategy named ‘Abenomics’.

Notes:
The Atal Pension Yojana (APY) has reached close to 20 Lakh (2 million) subscribers during the current financial year from April 2020.
The total subscriber base under the APY scheme has reached 21 million. The APY scheme was launched in 2015, with an aim to create a universal social security system for all, especially the poor and under-privileged. The scheme is administered by PFRDA through the National Pension System (NPS).

Notes:
A typhoon named Bavi made its landfall in west coast of North Korea recently. The head of North Korea Kim Jong Un said that the typhoon had caused only minimal damage.
Kim stated that the scale of damage caused by the typhoon, which is referred by the country as Typhoon No. 8, is smaller than expected. Bavi had packed maximum wind speed when it made landfall. After hitting North Korea, it approached South Korea and China.

Notes:
The think tank of India, NITI Aayog is set to virtually launch the India Component of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC)-Transport Initiative for Asia (TIA).
This discussion will have a main focus on the challenges faced by the Indian transport sector and how they are related to the Carbon dioxide reduction ambitions. This will also provide technical support on reducing Green House Gas emission.