Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2020

Notes:
Google India has recently announced the launch of its nationwide campaign named ‘Make Small Strong’.
It aims to help support small businesses and enhance demand through customer support. It encourages people to buy locally and promote their favourite retailers by posting reviews. This new programme is based on feedback from Small and Medium Businesses.

Notes:
The CEO of NITI Aayog, Amitabh Kant has stated that the organization is fine tuning parameters and indicators used in ranking the 112 Aspirational Districts of India.
The Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) was launched by the national think tank NITI Aayog in January 2018. It aims to transform 112 most backward districts that have shown relatively lesser progress in key social areas.

Notes:
The Defence ministry has signed a Rs 400 crore-contract with Economic Explosive Limited (EEL), for the supply of ten lakh hand grenades.
Earlier, similar products were either imported or made by the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB). The new grenades called multi-mode hand grenades (MMHG), have been designed by the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory of DRDO.

Notes:
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has developed highly purified ‘Antisera’ for prevention and treatment of Covid-19.
ICMR along with Hyderabad-based Biological E. Limited have developed highly purified antisera, which was raised in animals, for prophylaxis and treatment of COVID-19. This was previously used in medical science to treat many viral and bacterial infections.

Notes:
The Union Defence Ministry has designated Alpha Design Technologies Limited (ADTL) to upgrade the soviet era Pechora surface to air systems.
As per the Rs.591 crore contract, the firm would be upgrading 16 such systems. Alpha Design Technologies Limited is a Bengaluru based company that is specialized in defence electronics, avionics and space satellite systems.

Notes:
On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, the Swachh Bharat Diwas 2020 was celebrated which included the distribution of Swachh Bharat Puraskar.
In the Swachh Sundar Samudayik Shauchalaya (SSSS) campaign organized from 1st Nov 2019 to 30th April 2020, Gujarat state has been conferred with the first prize. Tirunelveli (Tamil Nadu) won the best district award.

Notes:
Indian Army Chief General M M Naravane and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla have handed over 3,000 vials of Remdesivir to Myanmar.
The vials were handed over to Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, during their two-day visit, which aims to expand ties in areas including connectivity, defence and security. This is also the first visit of Army Chief to the country.

Notes:
The Naval Investiture Ceremony of this year has been conducted at Visakhapatnam. During the ceremony, the Gallantry and non-Gallantry Awards announced on the Republic Day this year were conferred.
The Vice Admiral Atul Kumar Jain also presented Unit citations to distinguished Naval units which have performed well during the past year.

Notes:
The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kozhikode is set to launch an e-learning hub and library as a pilot project for villagers in Mavoor.
The village is one among the five villages adopted by the institution under the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan. Under the scheme, academicians are engaged in solving the local problems of the society. IIM Kozhikode is a partner institute for the UBA programme.

Notes:
The World Bank has warned that as many as 150 million people are likely to be in extreme poverty by 2021, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The pandemic is expected to push an additional 88 million to 115 million people into extreme poverty this year. As per the biennial Poverty and Shared Prosperity Report, this condition represents a regression to the rate of 9.2 per cent in 2017.