Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2021

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued a small finance bank (SFB) licence to the Centrum Group-BharatPe consortium.
Incorporated as Unity SFB, the lender is set to start operations in some weeks. The consortium will take over the assets and liabilities of the strssed Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) Bank. Bindra-led Centrum Capital and its partner BharatPe, will infuse Rs 1,800 crore into the SFB. BharatPe would also move its loan assets to Unity SFB.

Notes:
The Rail Kaushal Vikas Yojana is a technical skill development programme organized and conducted by the Indian Railways, to unemployed youths of age 18-35 years. The scheme aims to enhance their employability and entrepreneurship
Recently, the Indian Railways’ Banaras Locomotive Works had successfully conducted the training for its first batch of trainees, and distributed self-employment toolkits cum certificated to the trainees.

Notes:
China has launched a 3-person manned mission to its space station, for a duration of 6 months in the spaceship named Shenzhou-13. The spaceship was launched by Long March-2F rocket. The crew members are missioned for the setting up of the orbiting structure of China’s own space station.
The activities of the crew include spacewalks and installation of key equipment.

Notes:
The Office of the Economic Adviser is an attached office of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, under the Union Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
The key function of the office includes Compiling and releasing monthly Wholesale Price Indices and Compiling and releasing monthly Index of Core Industries Production. The wholesale price-based inflation has eased to a six-month low of 10.66% in September 2021, primarily helped by moderation in food price.

Notes:
As per the study report by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, 17% of households in Delhi and Tamil Nadu are using some form of electric cooking means. The rate in Telangana is 15% and in the state of Kerala the rate is 12%.
Council on Energy, Environment and Water commonly called as CEEW, is a not-for-profit policy research institution based at Delhi.

Notes:
The first meeting of the Foreign ministers of India, Israel, the UAE and the USA held recently. It is dubbed as the New QUAD.
The virtual meeting discussed on increasing trade, enhancing cooperation in maritime security and global public health, as well as joint infrastructure projects in transportation and technology. Indian foreign minister S. Jaishankar held discussions with his counterparts.

Notes:
India’s Harbhajan Singh and Javagal Srinath have been awarded life membership of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
They have joined sixteen other cricketers who were given the honour this year. Harbhajan is India’s third-highest wicket-taker in Tests (417 wickets) and more than 700 plus international wickets.  Srinath is an ICC Elite Panel Match Referee at present. He is a fast bowlers with 315 ODI wickets and 236 Test wickets.

Notes:
The world-renowned Kung Fu Nuns of the Drukpa order of Buddhism has won the prestigious Martial Arts Education Prize 2021 from the UNESCO International Centre for Martial Arts for their brave acts of service.
Through martial arts, the Drukpa nuns empower young girls to defend themselves, build confidence, and take on leadership roles in their communities.

Notes:
The Kinnow is a high yield mandarin hybrid cultivated extensively in the Punjab region of India and Pakistan.
Around 100 farmers in Punjab, especially in the kinnow belt, have started making Bio Enzymes from this Kinnow fruit. It is usually considered as a waste by farmers. But this fallen fruit can improve soil, water, air and depleting ground water. It also helps prevent excess usage of chemical sprays of fungicides and bacterial diseases on crops, especially vegetables and cereals.

Notes:
Global terror financing watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) retained Pakistan on its ‘Grey List’ of countries.
FATF also announced that three new countries: Turkey, Jordan, and Mali have also been added to the Grey List. FATF affirmed that Pakistan is cooperating and only four action items remain to be completed. In June this year, FATF had retained Pakistan on its ‘Grey List’ for failing to check money laundering, leading to terror financing.