Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2020

Notes:
Human Resources and Development Ministry of India conducted the first ever Indian Scholastic Assessment (Ind-SAT) Test 2020 under its Study in India programme.
Based on the scores obtained in the Ind-SAT, foreign students for studying in select universities in India will be granted admissions and scholarships for under graduate as well as post graduate programmes. Over 5000 students attended the first exam conducted by the National Testing Agency.

Notes:
Union Shipping Ministry has announced that it has waived off waterway usage charges for a period of three years.
This decision has been taken to promote inland waterways as a cheaper mode of transport. Water usage charge was previously applicable on use of all national waterways by vessels. This waiver is estimated to increase the inland waterway traffic movement to 110 million metric tonne (MMT) in 2022-23.

Notes:
Following a leak at a Lavera petrochemical refinery in southern France, an orange-brown chemical sheet spread over 15 acres in the Mediterranean Sea.
This area includes the nationally recognized marine life area. The plant is said to have spilled 200 gallons or more of iron chloride into the sea. The chemical could harm eyes and mucous membranes and could even cause death.

Notes:
The Chief Minister of Assam Sarbananda Sonowal has unveiled three Special Surveillance Quadcopters and an Anti-degradation Quick Response Vehicle, for surveillance in forest areas.
These vehicles will be deployed to strengthen surveillance and reduce man-animal conflict by the Forest Department. The surveillance drone will be used to identify poaching in the national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and other reserve forests.

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:
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has recently launched a dedicated job portal, to revive economy amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The portal (jobs.delhi.gov.in) named Rozgar Bazar will connect the recruiters with the job aspirants. The Chief Minister asked the traders, businessmen, industrialists and people to work together in reviving the UT’s economy.

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:
State Bank of India (SBI) has provided a liquidity support of USD 16.20 million for local businesses in Maldives.
SBI has also deferred loan repayment for over 200 retail accounts. On the occasion of Independence Day of the Maldives on July 26, SBI’s Covid relief measures have been announced. India had earlier made an assistance of USD 400 million to Maldives through extended currency swap arrangement.

Notes:
Thudiyurulippara hill in the Pramadom grama panchayat of Kerala has been announced as a biodiversity heritage site.
The Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) has formally announced the ecologically sensitive hill as a biodiversity heritage site on the recommendations of the Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB). This has been announced on the occasion of World Nature Conservation Day.

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.