Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2020

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:
Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has recently launched an asset restructuring web module for the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME).
The module named ARM-MSME would assist MSMEs to get benefitted from RBI’s MSME restructuring guideline. MSMEs will be able to prepare restructuring proposals by inputting only the most essential data. This service is being offered by SIDBI at no cost to the MSMEs.

Notes:
The France’s new security bill makes it an offence to show the face or identity of any Police Officer on duty with the aim of damaging the officer’s integrity. The offence would make the convict liable of one-year imprisonment.
This proposed amendment is protested by many people in France and is seen a curtail of press freedom. It is feared by many that this law would increase police brutality on civilians.

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 Chardham highway project is a 900-km strategic projects, which aims to provide all-weather connectivity to four holy towns in the state of Uttarakhand- Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.
Recently, the Supreme Court has asked the committee monitoring the Chardham highway project, to consider the Defence Ministry’s application to widen three highways in the Indo-China Border up to 7 metres.

Notes:
The 18th-century idol of Goddess Annapurna that was stolen from a temple in Varanasi, is being returned by Canada.
As per a government statement, the ancient idol was stolen about 100 years ago. The idol is said to have housed in Canada’s MacKenzie Art Gallery. It was handed over to India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa.

Notes:
The Ministry of Home Affairs has released the rank list of best performing police stations in India.
Nongpok Sekmai Police station in Manipur has topped the list which is followed by the All Women Police Station (AWPS) Suramangalam in Salem of Tamil Nadu. Most of the Police stations in the list are located in South India and in North Eastern India.

Notes:
The Union Government has announced the post of a Deputy Chief of the Army Staff, or DCOAS, (Strategy), to bring about structural reforms in the army.
The proposal for creating this post was initiated before two years. The DCOAS would oversee the work of the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) and the Director General Military Intelligence (DGMI), who would otherwise report to the Vice Chief f Army Staff.

Notes:
Parkash Singh Badal, who is the former Chief Minister of Punjab and a leader of Shiromani Akali Dal party has returned Padma Vibhushan award back to the Government.
He has returned the award to show his protest against Agriculture reforms brought by the Centre. He was honoured with the prestigious award in the year 2015.