Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2020

Notes:
‘International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People’ is observed every year on November 29, across the world.
The day was established in the year 1977 and it marks the day in 1947 when the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution partitioning Palestine into an Arab State and a Jewish State. The UN Chief called on Israel and Palestine to achieve a two-State solution.

Notes:
West Bengal state government has recently launched a massive outreach programme named “Duare Sarkar” or “Government at your doorstep”.
Under the programme, people can avail the benefit of over 11 schemes of the state including Kanyashree, Khadya Sathi and Sikshashree. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced to set up ‘Duare Sarkar’ camps in the state for redressing grievances of people.

Notes:
China launched the ambitious ‘One Belt and One Road’ (OBOR) initiative in 2013, to link Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Gulf region, Africa and Europe with a network of land and sea routes.
During the 19th meeting of the Council of Heads of Governments of the SCO, all other member nations of SCO, except India reaffirmed their support to the OBOR project of China. India is critical of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a part of OBOR.

Notes:
December 2 is observed as National Pollution Control Day every year, in the memory of those who lost their lives in the Bhopal Gas tragedy and to create awareness on environment pollution.
Bhopal Gas tragedy, one of the biggest industrial pollution disasters of the country, occurred on the night of December 2nd and 3rd, 1984. Many people died due to the leakage of the poisonous gas Methyl Isocyanate.

Notes:
The recent spread of Leaf Fall Disease in rubber plantations of Thailand has been a cause of worry to Indian Plantations.
In November, the total affected area of rubber plantation of Thailand was 90,000 ha and there is a potential production loss of 1.30 lakh tons of rubber. It has been cited by Rubber Board officials that the disease has the potential to spread to India.

Notes:
The Indian Government has constituted a Apex Committee for the Implementation of the Paris Agreement (AIPA). It was formed through a gazette notification.
The committee comprises of 17 members. It is entrusted with the responsibility of formulating policies and programmes for implementing the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), under Paris Agreement 2015. The Secretary of Union Environment Minister would be the Chairperson.

Notes:
INS Vikrant is the first indigenous aircraft carrier of India. The sea trials are expected to begin in 2021 and it will be commissioned by 2022.
Also called as the ‘Indigenous Aircraft Carrier 1 (IAC-1)’, INS Vikrant has been constructed by Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi, Kerala for the Indian Navy. Recently, the two organisations completed the Basin Trials of the aircraft carrier.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) held on December 4, 2020 decided to keep interest rates unchanged with an “accommodative” policy stance.
The MPC has kept repo rate unchanged at 4% and maintained reverse repo rate at 3.35%. RBI also predicted a real GDP growth of -7.5% for FY21, from the earlier prediction of -9.5%. MPC also expected that the inflation rate will remain high.

Notes:
CLMV countries are Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. They are also the members of the Association of South East Nations (ASEAN).
During the Inaugural Session of the 6th India – CLMV Business Conclave 2020, India invited the CLMV countries to join the International Solar Alliance and the Resilient Supply Chain Initiative by India.

Notes:
The 3D-object creation platform named “Poly” is operated by the Technology company Google.
Google has proposed to shut down the poly platform from next year, since its service will expire in June 2020. From then on, users will not be able to upload 3D models on the platform.