Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2021

Notes:
A parliamentary group recommended renegotiating the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan to address the impact of climate change on water supply in the basin and other challenges not covered by the agreement. On 5th August, 2021, the Standing Committee on Water Resources tabled the report before the Lok Sabha. According to the Indus Waters Treaty which was signed by India and Pakistan in 1960, all waters of the Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers are allocated to India for unrestricted use. Most of the waters of the western Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers are allocated to Pakistan

Notes:
On 7th August, 2021, Dr. Virendra Kumar, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment has launched ‘PM-DAKSH’ Portal and ‘PM-DAKSH’ Mobile App. This portal and app has been developed by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, in collaboration with NeGD, to make skill development schemes accessible to the target groups of Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes and Safai Karamcharis. From the year 2020-21 the Pradhan Mantri Dakshta Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi (PM-DAKSH) Yojana is being implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Notes:
Recently, Karnataka Bank has been empanelled by RBI to act as an ‘Agency Bank’ to facilitate transactions related to government businesses. As an empanelled Agency Bank, it is authorised to undertake government businesses such as revenue receipts and payments on behalf of the Centre and States, pension payments in respect of the same, collection of stamp duty charges and also any other item of work specifically advised by the RBI.

Notes:
The Tokyo 2020 Games were declared closed by IOC chief Thomas Bach on August 8, 2021. The Olympic flag was passed to Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo for the 2024 Games at the Tokyo closing ceremony. The United States topped the tally with 39 gold medals, just one ahead of China. Host Japan finished third with 27 golds followed by Great Britain with 22 and the Russian Olympic Committee, the team for Russian athletes after their country was banned for systematic doping, were fifth with 20. India finished 48th with 1 gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze medals.

Notes:
The 79th anniversary of Quit India movement was observed on August 8, 2021. On this day in 1942, father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi gave the clarion call of Do or Die to all Indians to drive away Britishers from the country. The movement had begun from Gowalia Tank in Mumbai. The day is observed as August Kranti Day every year.

Notes:
The United Nations has declared 2021 as the International Year of Peace and Trust, the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development, the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables, and the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour. Also, the Catholic Church has proclaimed 2021 as the Year of Saint Joseph.

Notes:
China made its newly constructed terminal operational at Lhasa airport in Tibet. This new terminal is the biggest terminal in Tibet opened to further expand the transport infrastructure in strategic Himalayan region. It will help Tibet to emerge as a global logistics hub for South Asia. New terminal would give a significant boost to passenger and cargo transport. Airport expansion project was completed at the cost of USD 603 million. It will help Tibet in becoming a global logistics hub for South Asia.

Notes:
The Parliament has passed the Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to encourage the start-up ecosystem and further boost the ease of doing business. The bill seeks to decriminalise 12 offences under the law and help improve the ease of doing business by amending the Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) Act, 2008. It was passed by the Lok Sabha on August 9, 2021 and Rajya Sabha on August 4. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that with the passage of the bill, criminal offences will be brought down while ease of doing business will go up and partners will have more flexibility.

Notes:
On 10 August, 2021, under the aegis of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Oil and Gas companies celebrated World Biofuel Day with the theme ‘Biofuels for Sustainability and Rural Income”. The special exhibition showcased biofuels and bio-energy related developments and technical achievements made in the field of biofuels in India. The event also witnessed active participation by many technical service providers, post-harvesting equipment manufacturers, Indian Air Force, biodiesel producers, research institutes, farmers, etc. During the occasion, a 9 TPD Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) plant of Indian Potash Limited (at Rohanakalan, Muzzafarnagar) and three Retail Outlets of Indian Oil at Muzaffarnagar (Chadravati Filling Station, Kissan Filling Station and Agarwal Service Station) were also dedicated to the nation. These Retail Outlets will be marketing CBG produced from this plant.

Notes:
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has built one of the world’s highest mobile air traffic control towers at the Advanced Landing Ground in Nyoma, Ladakh. The ATC controls operations of the fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters operating in the eastern Ladakh region.