Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2021

Notes:
India successfully test-fired surface-to-surface ballistic missile Agni-5 that can strike targets at ranges up to 5,000 km with a very high degree of accuracy.
The test-firing was carried from APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha. As per the Defence Ministry, the successful test of is in line with India’s stated policy with the commitment to ‘No First Use’. This missile has been tested amidst border standoff with China in eastern Ladakh.

Notes:
India has launched its first manned ocean mission, ‘Samudrayan’, joining six other nations engaged in exploring Deep Ocean for research. While launching the mission, Union minister Jitendra Singh
The Samudrayan project will be a part of the Deep Ocean Mission. It is being undertaken by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT). The National Institute of Ocean Technology in 1993 is an autonomous society under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

Notes:
The United States has issued its first passport with an “X” gender designation. The country would also offer the option to non-binary, intersex and gender-nonconforming people early next year.
This is regarded as a milestone in the recognition of the rights of people who don’t identify as male or female. The department now also allows applicants to self-select their gender as male or female, not requiring them to provide medical certification.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the reconstitution of his Economic advisory council (EAC-PM). Bibek Debroy, President of the Indian Statistical Institute, is the Chairman of the council.
Former RBI deputy governor Rakesh Mohan, along with IIM Ahmedabad Professor T T Ram Mohan, and Director-General of NCAER Poonam Gupta, are the three new members to join the seven-member council. The new advisory council has been appointed for a period of two year. The Chairman of the council and three other members have been retained.

Notes:
Tushil, the 7th Indian Navy Frigate of P1135.6 class was launched at Yantar Shipyard, Kaliningrad, Russia. “Tushil” is a Sanskrit word meaning Protector Shield.
India and Russia signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for the construction of two ships of Project 1135.6 ships in Russia and two ships in India at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL).

Notes:
Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry presented the 14th edition of Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference 2021.
Surat won the award for the city with the best public transport system, and Kochi was judged the city with most sustainable transport system. The awards were presented by Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri at Urban Mobility India conference. Nagpur’s multi-modal integration with Metro rail, Delhi’s Metro also won awards.

Notes:
Independent researchers from India have conceptualized and developed an online dashboard named “Climate Equity Monitor” on Global climate policy.
The Climate Equity Monitor dashboard provides an online dashboard for assessing equity in climate action, inequalities in emissions, energy consumption across the world, and climate policies of several countries. It aims to monitor the performance of Annex-I Parties under the UNFCCC (developed countries).

Notes:
Punjab is set to commence the census of the Indus river dolphin (Platanista gangetica minor). It is a freshwater dolphin that is found in river Beas.
The Indus river dolphin is classified as ‘endangered’ by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In 2007, the dolphins were discovered in Punjab’s Harike wildlife sanctuary. The Indus river dolphin was declared the State aquatic animal of Punjab in 2019.

Notes:
An integrated Single Window Filming mechanism has been created by the Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The objective of the scheme is to make the permission for filming across Railways premises easier and more efficient. Under the mechanism, filmmakers can submit online applications for filming at various railway locations under jurisdiction of any zonal railways in a centralized way.

Notes:
A proposal for 12 Light Utility Helicopters from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was approved by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC).
DAC approved the capital acquisition proposals amounting to Rs 7, 965 crore for the modernisation of the Indian armed forces. DAC approved the procurement of Lynx U2 naval gunfire control system from BEL and “mid-life upgradation of Dornier aircraft” by HAL.