Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2020

Notes:
Alphabet Inc’s Google has recently announced that it is set to launch a virtual private networks (VPN) service for its consumers.
The VPN service would be available for its Google One cloud storage services. VPN is used by individuals in countries where access to certain sites and services have been banned by governments.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently inaugurated 17 tourism projects around the Statue of Unity complex, at Kevadia in Narmada District, Gujarat.
Sardar Patel’s birthday is being celebrated as Ekta Divas. The Prime Minister inaugurated the projects on the same day, and the 17 tourism projects are called the “Kevadia tourism circuit” have been themed around “Unity”.

Notes:
The Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region Shri. Jitendra Singh has inaugurated the Mansar Lake Development Plan in Jammu and Kashmir.
This has been done to increase the tourism sector in this region. The project aims at attracting 20 lakh tourists every year along with creation of employment for 1.15 crore man-days.

Notes:
The Vaishwik Bharatiya Vaigyanik (VAIBHAV) Summit was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 2nd October 2020.
The summit concluded on 31st October 2020 and saw the participation of 3,200 panelists and about 22,500 academicians and scientists from India and overseas. The month-long conference was held in a virtual manner in the form of webinars.

Notes:
The percentage of Goods and Service Tax (GST) is decided by GST Council, headed by the Union Finance Minister.
Ministry of Finance has recently published that the GST revenue that has been collected for the month of October 2020 has crossed Rs 1 lakh crore, which is a highest collection after 8 months. The GST revenue collection for the month of Oct 2020 stood at Rs.1,05,155 crore.

Notes:
As per the recent report released by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), 30 Indian cities will face increasing water risks in the next few decades.
According to the WWF Water Risk Filter report, 30 Indian cities, including Jaipur, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mumbai among others, will face acute water risks. The report estimates that hundreds of millions of people in cities across the globe could face water risks.

Notes:
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has been signed by Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA). The MoU sets key targets for IRDAI to be achieved in the year 2020-21.
IREDA is a “Mini Ratna” Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. It is categorized as a Public Financial Institution and NBFC by Reserve Bank of India.

Notes:
As per the recent statement from the Earth Sciences Ministry, the Economic benefits from the use of weather forecasting services to farmers and fishermen since 2015 amounted to Rs 19,000 crore.
The Ministry cited a study it had commissioned from the research firm National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER). The Ministry also stated that this can record Rs 5000 crore, when extrapolated to the next five years.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has recently constituted a committee to review guidelines on Television Rating agencies in India. The committee would be chaired by Prasar Bharti CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati.
The committee has been constituted keeping in view the recent recommendations from Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, TRAI and other technological advancements in the industry.

Notes:
As per the Schmidt Ocean Institute, its research vessel ‘Falkor’ has discovered a massive coral reef in Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
The research vessel has been undertaking a 12-month exploration mission of the ocean surrounding Australia. The 500-meter-high reef has been discovered for the first time in 120 years. ‘SuBastian’, the underwater robot of the institute is deployed to explore the new reef.