Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2021

Notes:
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade has notified about a New Central Sector Scheme for industrial development of Jammu and Kashmir with an amount of Rs. 28,400 crore. This scheme is applicable for any eligible industrial (manufacturing) entity or eligible service sector enterprise other than those run departmentally by Government.

Notes:
India and the European Union (EU) have agreed to resume the negotiations for an ambitious, balanced, mutually beneficial and comprehensive trade agreement. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations are to be held considering the interest of both India and EU.

Notes:
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal gave nod to proposal of 66% salary hike for MLAs of the Delhi government. This hike has come after a decade to raise existing monthly salary and allowances of MLAs from Rs 54,000 to Rs 90,000.

Notes:
Maldives style water villas will soon be set up in Lakshadweep in a bid to attract tourists. Praful Khoda Patel, administrator of Lakshadweep, said that the water villas will be set up at a cost of ₹800 crore. These projects are being backed by Niti Aayog and Union home ministry to develop these remote islands. Under this project, world-class facility would be set up in Suheli, Minicoy and Kadmat islands in Lakshadweep. In all, 370 rooms will be offered across the three islands and these villas would be constructed under public-private partnership model.

Notes:
Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam programme was launched by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K.Stalin in Samanapalli village in Krishnagiri on Thursday to deliver essential healthcare at the doorstep of the people. Under this scheme those above 45 years of age and others with infirmities will be screened through routine door-to-door check-ups and detect non-communicable diseases that are also seen to cause sudden mortalities and impact the quality of life. The plan will depend on public health workers, woman health volunteers, physiotherapists and nurses who will provide medical services at the doorstep.

Notes:
As part of one year celebration of transformative reforms under the government’s National Education Policy, 2020, the Government of India is organising a series of theme-based webinars on different aspects of National Education Policy, 2020. Indian Knowledge System, Language, Arts & Culture being one of the innovative thrust areas of NEP, Indian Knowledge System at AICTE under Ministry of Education organised a National Webinar on Transforming Education in the Light of Indian Knowledge System, Language, Arts & Culture. Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Education and Skill Development and Employment Shri, was the Chief Guest on the occasion.

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:
The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the year 2019. CDRI has 25 countries and seven international organisations as members now with Bangladesh being the latest entrant, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said. MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the objective of the CDRI is to promote the resilience of existing and new infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks in support of sustainable development.

Notes:
The Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was passed in the Lok Sabha on 6th August, 2021. The bill seeks to do away with the contentious retrospective tax provision. The Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill proposes to amend the Income Tax Act, 1961 to provide that no tax demand shall be raised in the future on the basis of the retrospective amendment for any indirect transfer of Indian assets if the transaction was undertaken before May 28, 2012. Pranab Mukherjee was the finance minister when retrospective tax provision was included in 2012.

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.