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:
As per the recent order issued by the Department of Telecom (DoT), it has directed all internet service providers (ISPs) to block the computer file-sharing website ‘WeTransfer’, due to security reasons.
All internet service providers (ISPs) are directed to block two download links on the website WeTransfer as well as the entire website. We Transfer is an Internet-based computer file transfer service platform founded at Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Notes:
The Union Government has launched a national programme for the youth, called “Responsible AI for Youth”. It has been developed by the Ministry of Electronics and IT in collaboration with Intel India, with support from Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSE&L). It aims to equip young students with new generation technology.
A dedicated portal for Artificial Intelligence, which will be a platform for all AI related developments in India, was also launched to mark the first anniversary of the second tenure of the government. It has been jointly developed by the Ministry of Electronics and IT and NASSCOM.

Notes:
Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS), the Delhi based laboratory of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed a disinfection unit named Ultra Swachh.
It is a multi-purpose unit, which can be used to disinfect a wide range of objects and materials including Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), fabrics among others. The system is compliant with international standards of personal and environmental safety. The system will be available in two variants namely Ozonated Space and Trinetra Technology

Notes:
The state of Telangana recently celebrated its statehood day on June 2. All national leaders including the Prime Minister wished the state and its people.
In the year 2014, Telangana was carved out of the state of Andhra Pradesh as the 29th state of India under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. The capital of the state is Hyderabad and its population is about 3.5 crore.

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:
United Kingdom recently hosted the Global Vaccine Summit, which was held virtually due to the restrictions involved amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the conference and pledged $15-million as India’s contribution to the vaccines alliance GAVI. The British Prime Minister earlier urged all nations to pledge funds for vaccinations to save the lives of people across the world from outbreaks of infectious diseases in future.

Notes:
World Environment Day is celebrated on June 5 every year by the United Nations, to encourage awareness and environmental protection.
The theme of World Environment 2020 is ‘Celebrating biodiversity’. The day will be hosted in Colombia in partnership with Germany. It is reported that about one million species facing extinction, as of now. In India, Housing & Urban Affairs Ministry releases series of advisories during a programme ‘Saving Biodiversity through Effective Waste Management’.

Notes:
The Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar launched the ‘Nagar Van’ or ‘Urban Forests’ programme to increase forest cover in urban areas.
During the virtual celebration of World Environment Day 2020, themed as ‘Nature and Biodiversity’, the programme was launched with 200 corporations and cities across India. The Minister urged the people to actively participate in the programme to increase the tree cover in their areas. This year, the government’s target for tree plantation is 145 crores.