Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2020

Notes:
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has directed all NGOs seeking foreign donations to open a designated FCRA account at the State Bank of India’s New Delhi branch by March 31, 2021.
The NGOs registered under FCRA shall not receive any foreign donations in any other bank account from April 1, 2021. The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2020 was amended by Parliament in September.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to release a commemorative coin of Rs 75 denomination marking the 75th Anniversary of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on 16th October 2020.
The coin would mark the long-standing relationship between of India and FAO. India’s proposals for the International Year of Pulses in 2016 and the International Year of Millets 2023 have been endorsed by FAO.

Notes:
Regional Raw Drug Repository (RRDR) of the Ministry of Ayush has been inaugurated at National Institute of Siddha – Chennai, Tamil Nadu. This repository will play an important role in medicinal plant cultivation.
The RRDRwould help in collection, documentation, and authentication of raw drugs from the Southern Plateau Region.

Notes:
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) gave in-principle approval to the demerger of Chhattisgarh-based Nagarnar Steel Plant (NSP) from National Minerals Development Corporation (NMDC).
It also approved the strategic disinvestment of the demerged company by selling the entire government stake to a strategic buyer. This process is expected to be completed by September 2021. Earlier in 2016, it had been decided to disinvest NSP as a unit of NMDC.

Notes:
The Punjab Government has decided to convene a special session of the state assembly to bring in legislation to counter the Centre’s new farm laws.
After the Cabinet decision, the Punjab Governor has been authorised to convene the 13th (special) session of 15th Punjab Vidhan Sabha, as per clause (1) of Article 174 of the Constitution of India. Punjab earlier passed a resolution to reject three contentious farm ordinances.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet has approved the ‘Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States (STARS)’ project, which is partially funded by the World Bank. The programme aims to reform governance as well as teaching and learning outcomes in six States.
The project focuses on early childhood and vocational education. The total outlay of the Project is Rs 5,718 crore, with the World Bank’s support of about Rs 3,700 crore.

Notes:
The World Bank has called for an emergency financing of USD 25 billion, to help the poorest countries of the world, to tackle the challenges of Covid-19 pandemic.
Recently, the World Bank head David Malpass told the Finance ministers and Central bank Governors of the G20 major economies that he would propose the supplemental financing package to deputies of the International Development Association (IDA).

Notes:
The famous costume designer Bhanu Athaiya died recently at the age of 91. She is the first Academy award winner of India. She won the Oscar for the Best Costume Design for the movie Gandhi in 1983.
Bhanu Athaiya was born in Kolhapur and began her career as a costume designer in Hindi cinema with Guru Dutt’s movie C.I.D. in 1956.

Notes:
Renowned Poet Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri of Kerala, died at the age of 94. He was awarded the Jnanpith Award, the highest literary award in India. He was popularly known as Akkitham and had penned his first poem when he was 8 years old.
He was instrumental in modernising Malayalam poetry. He was also a social reformer and a follower of Gandhian Principles.

Notes:
A webinar between India and Kazakhstan was held recently on the theme – “Make In India For The World, India – Kazakhstan Defence Cooperation: Webinar and Expo”.
The webinar was organized by Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence through FICCI. This is a part of the webinar series organized by the Ministry with friendly nations with the aim to boost defence exports.