Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2020

Notes:
The US Federal Reserve has recently joined the Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System (NGFS).
NGFS is an international group of central banks of various countries, that has a special focus on climate change risks. It is headquartered at Paris, France.

Notes:
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch satellites of private players onboard PSLV C 51.
The first of its kind mission would launch an earth observation satellite ‘ANAND’, fully built by a start-up named Pixel India. Two more satellites named ‘SATISH SAT’’, built by ‘Space Kids India’, and ‘UNIT-SAT’, built by consortium of universities would also be sent.

Notes:
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has launched ‘PAReSHRAM’ portal, for the industrial development of the state.
The Chief Minister also launched 22 online services of Department of Labour and Employees’ State Insurance (ESI). The portal will have information regarding different labour laws. Entrepreneurs can get registration certificate, licence and approval through the portal.

Notes:
The World Bank has recently released the corrected Doing Business rankings after review of data irregularities.
The World Bank corrected the rankings of China, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Azerbaijan. China’s rank in 2018 would have been 85, a drop of 7 places. India holds the same place of 63 in the Doing Business 2020 report.

Notes:
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has launched ‘One Stop Shop’ (OSS) facility, to make available over 100 types of clearances and services, required by investors.
The Chief Minister also launched Public Welfare Portal (PWP) or Jan Kalyan Portal, to consolidate the information of eligibility, benefits of the state schemes, useful circulars and orders etc. It also highlights the efforts of the Government in two years.

Notes:
The Kochi headquartered Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) has recently launched a multilingual call centre for aqua farmers.
This call center is established at Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh. This is expected to the address the technical difficulties of aqua farmers and also impart knowledge about best aqua culture practices.

Notes:
Recently, the Embassy of Japan in India has rolled out some images of E5 series Shinkansen – High speed bullet trains used in Japan, which would be modified for use in Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project.
Once the project is completed, the travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad would be reduced to 2 hours. The project is expected to be completed by 2023.

Notes:
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered the keynote address at ASSOCHAM Foundation Week 2020 via video conferencing.
During the occasion, he presented the ‘ASSOCHAM Enterprise of the Century Award’ to Ratan Tata, who received the award on behalf of the TATA Group. Ratan Tata served as the Chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Group. He is now heading various Charitable Trusts of the Group.

Notes:
In the recently held Cologne Boxing World Cup in Cologne, Germany, India finished with nine medals including three gold.
Amit Panghal won gold in men’s category while Manisha Moun and Simranjit Kaur won gold in Women’s category. India also won two silver and four bronze at the Tournament and grabbed the second rank in the medal tally.

Notes:
‘District Development Council (DDC)’ is a local government body of the Jammu and Kashmir Union territory.
It was first introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs in October 2020. It is facilitated by the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989 and created under Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Rule, 1996 of the constitution of India. Recently, the first DDC polls of the UT was held successfully.