Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2020

Notes:
The 15th Finance Commission (FFC) has announced that it is set to submit its report to Indian President Ram Nath Kovind on 9 November, this year.
The report will have recommendations for next five years beginning the financial year 2021-22. The report may be tabled in the Parliament along with action taken report by the government, during the next budget session.

Notes:
A scheme named SERB POWER (Promoting Opportunities for Women in Exploratory Research) has been launched by the Ministry of Science and Technology, designed exclusively to encourage Women Scientists to work in the field of science and technology.
The Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), a statutory body of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India is implementing the scheme.

Notes:
The Indian Railways has launched an initiative named “Meri Saheli” which will focus on security of women. Its main objectives are to provide safety and security to lady passengers travelling by trains.
Under this initiative, a team of lady officer and staff will visit all of the passenger coaches including ladies’ coaches to identify women passengers. The details of the journey will be noted down by the team, especially if a lady is travelling alone.

Notes:
As per the Public Affairs Index-2020 released by the Public Affairs Centre, Kerala was adjudged the best governed State in the large States category.
States were ranked on governance performance based on a composite index in sustainable development. Kerala is followed by Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Uttar Pradesh is ranked at the bottom of the list.

Notes:
The nation’s central bank Reserve Bank of India has launched the latest round of Inflation Expectations Survey of Households (IESH). The survey would give vital inputs to RBI for framing the monetary policy.
The survey is conducted regularly in 13 cities namely Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Patna and Thiruvananthapuram.

Notes:
Indian boxer Sanjeet won gold in the Alexis Vastine international boxing tournament in Nantes in 91 kg category. World silver-medallist Amit Panghal also won gold in 52 kg category.
Ashish Kumar also won gold in the 75kg category opponent pulled out due to injury. Kavinder Singh Bisht won silver while India earned three bronze medals.

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 Panna Biosphere Reserve that is located in Madhya Pradesh, has been included in the UNESCO’s “World Network of Biosphere Reserves”. Additionally, Fuvahmulah and Addu Atoll of Maldives have also been included in the list.
Panna is a critical tiger habitat in India and it was accorded Biosphere Reserve status by Government of India in 2011.

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:
Based on the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission, the Central Government has released a financial aid of Rs.2200 crore to 15 states.
The aid would be used to improve the air quality in these states by undertaking capacity building measures. This is the first instalment of the grant towards air quality improvement.