Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2020

Notes:
The Government of India has decided to extend the Income tax exemption available under leave travel concession (LTC) cash voucher scheme to non-central government employees also. This is aimed to boost the consumer spending.
Non-central government employees will include employees of state governments, public sector enterprises, banks and private sector.

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 United Nations General Assembly has designated the 31st of October as World Cities Day. This year the theme is ‘Valuing Our Communities and Cities’.
The Day aims to promote international community’s interest in global urbanization and contribute to sustainable urban development around the world. UN-Habitat launched Urban October in 2014, to highlight the urban challenges around the world.

Notes:
Food Corporation of India and other Government agencies are set to procure 742 Lakh Metric tonnes of paddy during the ongoing Kharif season.
This is seen as a record high paddy procurement. The paddy procurement made by the Government last year was 627 Lakh Metric Tonnes. The number of purchase-centres this year have been increased from 30,791 to 39,122.

Notes:
The people of New Zealand, in a recent referendum have voted to legalise euthanasia. Preliminary results of the referendum showed that 65.2% of voters supported the End of Life Choice Act coming into force as a new law.
The proposed law will permit terminally ill people with less than 6 months of life to choose assisted dying, if approved by 2 doctors.

Notes:
The World Bank has stated that remittances to India would fall this year by 9% to USD 76 billion, but India will continue to be the top destination for remittance.
The fall in remittance to India would be on account of COVID 19 and the global economic recession. As per the report, India, China, Mexico, Philippines, and Egypt would to be the top five countries in 2020 to receive foreign remittances.

Notes:
The Central Government is set to release the second tranche of Rs 6,000 crore to 16 states and 3 union territories.
As per the recent statement from the Finance Ministry, the total amount released to states to meet the compensation shortfall under goods and services tax (GST) under the special window is Rs 12,000 crore.

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:
E-commerce giant Flipkart has recently acquired mobile gaming start-up Mech Mocha, which runs the first live-social gaming platform, ‘Hello Play’.
After the acquisition, the intellectual property from the start-up and the skilled gaming team will also join Flipkart. This is a part of the Walmart-owned company’s initiatives to engage with users on its platform.

Notes:
Indian Tennis player Rutuja Bhosale won a singles title in the final of the $15,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
In the final, she won Anna Siskova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 7-5. The 24-year-old sportsperson is a former Asian junior champion and National women’s champion. She played a significant role to help India qualify for the Fed Cup World Group playoff in Dubai.