Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2020

Notes:
The Finance Ministry has approved guidelines for a scheme to grant ex-gratia payment of the difference between compound interest and simple interest for six months of loans up to Rs 2 crore.
The scheme can be availed by borrowers in specified loan accounts for a period from March 1 to August 31, 2020. Earlier, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to implement the interest waiver as soon as possible.

Notes:
The United Nations Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was opened for signature at United Nations headquarters on 20th September 2017. Once 50 countries have ratified or acceded to it, it will enter into force.
The United Nations announced recently that 50 countries have ratified the treaty and would come into force within 90 days, by January 2021.

Notes:
Delhi government has recently launched the ‘Red Light On, Gaadi Off’ campaign as part of its ‘Yuddh Pradushan Ke Viruddh’ (War Against Pollution) initiative to tackle air pollution. Under the initiative, cars will be switched off at red traffic lights to reduce pollution.
As per the recent data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), air pollution in the national capital remained very poor with its air quality index registered under ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ categories.

Notes:
During the third edition of the 2+2 talks held between India and the United States, the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement or BECA was signed.
The agreement gives India access to classified geo-spatial data as well as critical information having significant military applications from the United States. This is a long-negotiated defence pact.

Notes:
The World Day for Audio-visual Heritage is celebrated on 27 October every year, across the world. This year, the theme is ‘Your Window to the World’.
The 33rd session of UNESCO’s General Conference proclaimed 27 October as World Day for Audio-visual Heritage, in commemoration of the adoption of the Recommendation for the Safeguarding and Preservation of Moving Images in 1980.

Notes:
Recently, the state Government of Andhra Pradesh has imposed a ban on bringing in alcohol from other states. An order for enforcing the notification has been issued by the state.
This move by the Chief Minster is seen as a measure to reduce alcohol consumption in the state and to improve the quality of people’s life.

Notes:
A team of researchers from India and Canada have discovered that Dairy production existed in Indus Valley civilization in 2500 BCE. This is the earliest known evidence of dairy production.
The results were based on chemical analysis of residue of pottery found at the archaeological site of Kotada Bhadli, a rural area in Gujarat, which showed presence of Dairy lipids.

Notes:
October 31 2020 marks the 145th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel. It would be observed as the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas.
The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi will visit Kevadia in Gujarat to pay homage to the leader at the Statue of Unity. He would also administer the Rashtriya Ekta Pledge during the event.

Notes:
The Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal has launched a mobile application named ‘Green Delhi’. Using the application, the residents of Delhi can bring pollution causing activities to the government’s notice.
The application has been designed to identify the location of pollution source and the complaint will be automatically forwarded to the concerned department for time bound action.

Notes:
The week from 27th October to 2nd November, 2020 is being observed as Vigilance Awareness Week in India. This is being organized by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). The theme for this year’s Vigilance Awareness Week is Vigilant India, Prosperous India.
Observance of Vigilance Awareness Week every year is a part the Commission’s approach where all stakeholders collectively participate in the preventive vigilance measures and fight against corruption.