Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2020

Notes:
The state government of Rajasthan has recently approved the ‘One-stop shop’ scheme, to fast-track investments and enable recovery of industries amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The new scheme will fast-track all processes in the investment proposals above ₹10 crore. Over 98 types of clearances will be given under one roof through the Bureau of Investment Promotion (BIP). For implementing the scheme, the Cabinet approved amendments to the Rajasthan Enterprises Single Window Enabling and Clearance Act, 2011.

Notes:
China has launched its most ambitious Mars mission, in an attempt to land the spacecraft on Mars. So far, only the United States has successfully landed a spacecraft on the soil of Mars.
Tianwen-1 was launched on a Long March-5 carrier rocket from Hainan Island. It contains both an orbiter and a rover and will take about seven months to reach the red planet. It will investigate on underground water and evidences of any ancient life. Tianwen means ‘quest for heavenly truth’.

Notes:
Gurugram-based Indian air carrier SpiceJet has been designated as Indian scheduled carrier to operate between India and the United States.
SpiceJet is the first air-carrier to operate to the US after Air India. This approval has been given in terms of the Air Services Agreement between the Government of India and the Government of the United States of America. It has also been selected to operate to the United Kingdom.

Notes:
Japan remains the largest holder of American government securities, at the end of May 2020 with an exposure of USD 1.260 trillion.
India has increased its holdings of American government securities purchased through the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), by nearly USD 13 billion to USD 169.9 billion at the end of May. In February, the country had a record high of USD 177.5 billion worth securities and have seen fluctuations throughout this year.

Notes:
The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine candidate is to be called as ‘Covishield’ in India, as per the statement of the Serum Institute of India (SII).
SII is the largest vaccine maker in the world and it has partnered with AstraZeneca for manufacturing the Oxford vaccine candidate. Recently, it has sought permission from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to conduct phase 2 and 3 human clinical trials of the potential vaccine.

Notes:
‘Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana’ is a scheme of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) for empowering the potters community.
Under the scheme, Training for advanced pottery products and Market linkages are provided through KVIC exhibitions. Recently, the Union Home Minister distributed 100 Electric Potter Wheels to trained artisans in Gandhinagar.

Notes:
Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan has launched the Bureau of Indian Standard’s Mobile App ‘BIS-Care’.
He also launched Standardization, Conformity Assessment and Training portals of e-BIS for consumers. Using the bi-lingual app, consumers can check the authenticity of the ISI-marked and hallmarked products. Consumers can also lodge complaints using this app. Earlier, BIS was directed to frame quality norms for 371 items by March 2021 to curb non-essential imports.

Notes:
The India-Indonesia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue was held in New Delhi. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh led the Indian delegation while Indonesia’s Defence Minister General Prabowo Subianto led their delegation.
Both the countries affirmed to further expand defence and military ties between the countries in areas including technology sharing. The countries had signed a new defence cooperation agreement in 2018 for a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Notes:
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has recently attended the 5th Annual Meeting of Board of Governors of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
A roundtable discussion was conducted on the theme ‘AIIB 2030-Supporting Asia’s Development over the Next Decade’. The bank had earlier provided a financial assistance of about USD 10 billion to combat Covid-19.

Notes:
Australian Minister for Immigration and Citizenship recently announced that out of the over 2,00,000 people who became Australian citizens in 2019-2020, around 38,000 were Indians.
They are the largest international community to be granted the Australian citizenship. This figure is also 60 per cent increase from the previous year. India is followed by the people of the UK, China and Pakistan.