Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2021

Notes:
US space agency NASA is set to launch the ‘Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD)’, after the mission was delayed for two years.
LCRD will ride to space on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V-551 rocket. It will be NASA’s first end-to-end laser relay system, sending and receiving data over infrared lasers at a rate of approximately 1.2 gigabits per second from geo-synchronous orbit to Earth.

Notes:
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that Patalpani railway station in Indore will be renamed as Tantya Mama railway station.
Tantia was a member of the Bhil tribe, of the indigenous Adivasi community, born in Madhya Pradesh. Mama Tantya Bhil’s was hanged by the British on 4th December.

Notes:
FrogID is Australia’s first national citizen science frog identification initiative. It is a project led by the Australian Museum in partnership with Australia’s top natural history museums and IBM.
Recently, two new species, named the slender bleating tree frog (Litoria balatus) and the screaming tree frog (Litoria quiritatus), have been scientifically described with the help of citizen scientists and their recordings through the FrogID app.

Notes:
The Indian Army launched Operation Snow Leopard after China failed to move back and restore status quo ante in eastern Ladakh.
Col Santosh Babu was awarded Mahavir Chakra posthumously for resisting Chinese Army attack in Galwan valley in Ladakh sector during Operation Snow Leopard. Colonel Babu was the Commanding Officer of 16 Bihar regiment, which was deployed in Galwan Valley for the Operation.

Notes:
The President of USA Joe Biden has ordered to release 50 million barrels of oil from its U.S. strategic reserves. This announcement has been made to cool down the increasing oil prices.
The USA has stated that this is a coordinated step along with major oil consumers like India, Japan, China etc.

Notes:
India’s premier think tank – NITI Aayog has recently published a Discussion Paper titled “Digital Banks:A Proposal for Licensing & Regulatory Regime for India”. The paper has been prepared in consultation with experts in banking, law, technology and with ministerial consultations
NITI Aayog has invited comments on the paper and the last date for acceptance of comments is set as 31st December 2021.

Notes:
The National Apprenticeship Training Scheme is a flagship skill development scheme of the Union Education Ministry, which envisages to provide a one year training programme to equip technically qualified youth with practical knowledge and skills.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has recently approved stipendiary support of Rs. 3,054 crore to apprentices who undergo training in the said scheme for the period from 2021-22 to 2025-26.

 

Notes:
Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has granted permission for the mass production of AK-203 rifles. The Council has also approved an independent satellite for the Indian Air Force.
DAC granted approval for manufacturing 7.5 lakh AK-203 assault rifles for the Indian Army under the ‘Make in India’ initiative. The manufacturing of the Kalashnikov Rifles will be undertaken in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh jointly by the Indo-Russia Rifles Pvt Ltd (IRRPL).

Notes:
Indian Government’s think tank NITI Aayog has released a discussion paper called ‘Digital Banks: A Proposal for Licensing & Regulatory Regime for India’.
In the paper, Niti Aayog offers a roadmap to make digital banks (DBs) a reality in the country. It also cites that Digital banks will help India mitigating the deepening financial challenges. Digital banks are defined in the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (BR Act).

Notes:
Constitution Day also known as ‘Samvidhan Divas’, is celebrated in our country on 26th November every year to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution of India.
On 26th November 1949, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted the Constitution of India, which came into effect from 26th January 1950. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in 2015 notified the decision of Government of India to celebrate the ’Constitution Day’ to promote Constitution values among citizens.