Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2021

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:
Konkan Shakti 2021 is the first-ever tri-services joint exercise between India and the UK. The week-long exercise has begun recently.
The exercise will be a platform to share each other’s experiences and to showcase the cooperation between the two countries. The maritime component of the exercise will be conducted off India’s west coast and the Harbour phase will be held in Mumbai. The land phase of the exercise will be held at Chaubatia in Uttarakhand.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 1 crore on Paytm Payments Bank recently.
The penalty was for submitting information that did not reflect the factual position. It is an offence under Section 26 (2) of the Payments and Settlement Act. RBI also imposed a penalty of Rs Rs 27.78 lakh on Western Union Financial Services for non-compliance with Money Transfer Service Scheme (MTSS) directions.

Notes:
Scientists have named a newly identified gecko species, the Jackie’s day gecko (Cnemaspis jackieii), after Jackie Chan.
This lizard is one of 12 new gecko species found in India and all 12 species are endemic to the Western Ghats. Due to its agile nature, similar to the ace martial artist Chan, it has been named so. It is one of 12 new gecko species found in India that the researchers describe in Zoological Research.

Notes:
The United Nations has recently set up a special trust fund for Afghanistan, amidst its economic crisis.
The primary aim of the trust fund is to inject liquidity into Afghan households. As per the UN Development Programme’s (UNDP), Germany had pledged 50 million euros ($58m) to the fund. International Monetary Fund announced that Afghanistan’s economy is set to contract up to 30 percent this year.

Notes:
Under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) of the Ministry of Rural Development, a total of 152 Centre for Financial Literacy & Service Delivery (SAKSHAM Centres) were launched across 77 districts of 13 states.
The Centres would act as one stop solution for basic financial needs of Self-Help Group (SHG) households in rural areas. The main objective of the Centre is to provide financial literacy and deliver financial services to SHG members and rural poor.

Notes:
ABHYAS – the High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) was successfully flight-tested by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The vehicle was tested from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Bay of Bengal in Odisha. It can be used as an aerial target to evaluate various missile systems. ABHYAS is designed and developed by DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru.

Notes:
Goa has been complimented for achieving ODF (Open defecation free) status and connecting every household with electricity. Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur congratulated Goa for this achievement.
He also highlighted that Goa provided tap water to every household under Har Ghar Jal Mission and it has become the first state to achieve the feat. Goa has also achieved 100 per cent target in providing free ration to the poor and needy as well as 100 per cent first dose vaccination.

Notes:
Kittur Chennamma was the Queen of Kittur, a princely state in present-day Karnataka. She was one of the first Indian rulers to lead an armed revolt against the British East India Company in 1824, protesting the Doctrine of Lapse, introduced by Lord Dalhousie
Every year in the month of October since 1824, ‘Kittur Utsava’ has been observed to commemorate Kittur Rani Chennamma’s rebellion. The leader’s anniversary was observed recently.

Notes:
Saudi Arabia has launched a national infrastructure fund to support up to 200 billion riyals ($53 billion) in projects over the next decade.
It will be advised by the world’s largest fund manager BlackRock. The National Infrastructure Fund (NIF) will invest in sectors such as water, transportation, energy and health. Saudi Arabia is preparing to transform the economy to make it less reliant on oil revenue.