Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2020

Notes:
The World Health Organization and UNICEF has warned about the huge decline in the number of children receiving life-saving vaccines around the world.
Due to the disruptions in the immunization services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this dip has been observed. The HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccines to be sent to 106 countries are in the verge of lapsing. The number of children completing 3 doses of the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP3) also reduced for the first, in the last 28 years.

Notes:
Cochin Shipyard Limited has signed a contract for construction and supply of two autonomous electric ferries for ASKO Maritime AS, Norway.
This firm is a subsidiary of NorgesGruppen ASA, one of the major players in the Norwegian retail market. The project is partially funded by the Norwegian government and aimed at emission-free transport of goods. The 67-metre-long vessels will be delivered as a full-electric transport ferry, initially. The Ship yard is also building 23 hybrid electric boats for the Kochi Water Metro.

Notes:
NITI Aayog has recommended that the Government of India should use 25 per cent use of recycled products in large infrastructure projects to promote secondary products across India.
The chief executive officer of Niti Aayog, Amitabh Kant announced that the recycled products including metals, plastics and paper will promote secondary products that are now hardly found in our country. India levies 2.5 per cent customs duty on the scrap while importing.

Notes:
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras-incubated start-up named Modulus Housing has developed a portable hospital unit.
The foldable unit called ‘MediCAB’ can be installed by four people anywhere within two hours. ‘MediCAB’ was launched recently in Wayanad District, Kerala to treat Covid-19 patients. The start-up was founded by two IIT alumni in 2008 and it is in the process of developing micro hospitals.

Notes:
As per the data recently released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), India has recorded the largest reduction in the number of people living in multi-dimensional poverty between 2005-06 and 2015-16.
About 273 million Indians moved out of multi-dimensional poverty in the said decade. As per the report, 65 out of 75 countries reduced their multi-dimensional poverty levels between 2000 and 2019.

Notes:
The state Government of Odisha is implementing a pension scheme named ‘Madhu Babu Pension Yojana’.
Recently, it was announced that the people of transgender community will also be included in the Pension scheme. Under the scheme, financial assistance is provided to the destitute elderly, differently-abled persons and widows. Now, Around 5,000 transgenders will get a monthly pension between Rs 500 and Rs 900 based on their age.

Notes:
The 88-year-old veteran Indian Mathematician C.S. Seshadri has recently passed away. He was considered as a leader of Mathematics especially in the field of algebraic geometry.
He started the School of Mathematics as part of the SPIC Science Foundation in 1989, which then transformed into the Chennai Mathematical Institute (CMI). He was also awarded the Padma Bhushan award in 2009.

Notes:
Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) is located in the state of Assam. Assam is witnessing heavy floods, which has affected around 40 lakh people.
The Tiger reserve, which is also a UNESO World Heritage site, remains submerged in water, due to the heavy floods. As many as 86 animals have died, including rhinoceros, deer and wild boar. This year’s flood is said to be the sixth worst flood since 1988.

Notes:
Form 26AS is an annual statement, that contains information on various taxes deducted on the tax-filer’s income by deductors.
Recently, the Income Tax Department of CBDT has introduced a new ‘Form 26AS’ with an aim to assist Tax payers in filing Income Tax Return quicker. The new form will calculate the correct tax liability and is expected to bring in transparency in tax administration.

Notes:
Global Selling Programme (GSP) is an initiative of E-commerce giant Amazon that was launched in 2015. Under the programme, Indian companies can export to other countries through Amazon websites.
The company has recently announced that Indian micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and brands that are part of its Global Selling Programme (GSP) have crossed USD 2 billion in cumulative exports.