Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2020

Notes:
As per the data from the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), India’s fiscal deficit was 4.59% of gross domestic product (GDP) for the year 2019-20. Fiscal Deficit is the gap between the government’s revenue and expenditure
The government’s revised target for its fiscal deficit was 3.8%, and the real deficit has exceeded it. However, the budget estimate was 3.5% of GDP. The Union Finance Minister invoked the escape clause in the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act to peg the deficit 0.5% higher than the Budget estimate.

Notes:
Major technology firm Google has launched a new application named ‘Sodar’, to help people maintain social distancing.
The application uses Augmented reality (AR) for this purpose. It creates a visual boundary using the user’s smartphone camera and show who is breaching that distance, on a real-time basis. Earlier, the UN Technology Innovation Labs released a free mobile social distancing app 1point5 which uses Bluetooth signal.

Notes:
Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers implements the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojna (PMBJP) scheme through the network of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs).
The scheme aims to make quality medicines available at affordable prices to all and reduce out of pocket expenses for healthcare. The scheme was seen in news recently, as it achieved sales of Rs. 100.4 Crores in the first two months of 2020-21. During March, April & May 2020, the Kendras have sold Rs. 144 Crores worth affordable medicines.

Notes:
The Prime Minister has recently delivered the inaugural address at the 125th Annual Session of Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) through video conference.
The theme of this year’s annual conference is “Building India for a New World: Lives, livelihood, growth”. The Prime Minister addressed the conference on “Getting Growth Back”. He congratulated the industry body on completing 125 years of the organisation and said Intent, Inclusion, Investment, Infrastructure and Innovation important to build an Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

Notes:
The Central Government has initiated a consultation process for formulation of a new national Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP 2020).
To formulate this policy, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India and the Department of Science and Technology (DST) have jointly initiated a decentralised process. This is the 5th Science and Technology policy of the country.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister has given its approval for signing a Memorandum of Understanding between India and Bhutan on cooperation in the field of Environment.
Under the agreement, the countries will work together in the areas of environment protection including air, waste, chemical management, climate change and management of natural resources by taking into account the applicable legal provisions in each country.

Notes:
American private space company SpaceX has recently launched 60 new internet satellites into orbit using Falcon 9 rocket.
Only before some days, billionaire Elon Musk owned SpaceX has sent two NASA astronauts to International Space Station, thereby becoming the first private firm to send astronauts to space on Falcon-9 rocket. This is the 8th batch of satellites and the total number of Starlink constellation of satellites is 482, as of now.

Notes:
India has bagged the hosting rights of the Asian Football Confederation 2022 Women’s Asian Cup for the first time since 1979.
All India Football Federation President Praful Patel announced that the tournament will feature 12 teams, as compared to the previous slot of eight teams. India will qualify to participate in the tournament directly as hosts. This event will also serve as the qualification tournament for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Notes:
The International Day for the fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing is observed every year on June 5. The purpose of this day is to sensitise about the threats posed by unregulated fishing activities to the fisheries resources.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared June 5 as the International Day for the fight against IUU fishing in November 2017. The first such day was celebrated in the year 2018. The Agreement on Port State Measures was brought into force on the same day.

Notes:
The Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern recently announced that the country had eliminated the transmission of the coronavirus.
New Zealand witnessed no new active case since February 28 and the last known infected person has recovered. Though the government will lift all restrictions imposed, strict border controls will be continued. It was also announced that only New Zealanders and their immediate families will be allowed to enter the country.