Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2023

Notes:
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has selected DSP Pension Fund Managers as the 11th fund manager permitted to manage retirement savings under the National Pension System (NPS).
PFRDA is looking to tap regional rural banks (RRBs) to enhance its reach to citizens across the country.

Notes:
As per the Punjab’s ‘Action plan to curb paddy straw burning’, approximately 31 lakh hectares of land in the region are dedicated to paddy cultivation.
This is anticipated to yield roughly 16 million tons of paddy straw (non-basmati), which will be effectively handled through both in-situ techniques (incorporating crop residue into the fields) and ex-situ methods (utilizing stubble as a source of fuel).

Notes:
The RoDTEP support scheme, initially set to expire on September 30, 2023, will now be extended until June 30, 2024, maintaining the current rates for existing export products.
This extension aims to empower the exporting sector in negotiating more favourable export agreements amid the current global conditions.

Notes:
A new dispute arose when China erected a barrier close to the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. It has reignited a longstanding territorial dispute between China and Philippines that dates back to 2012.
The South China Sea is situated just south of the Chinese mainland and is bordered by the countries of Brunei, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Notes:
Scientists have issued a warning about the spread of a parasitic brain worm called ‘Rat lungworm’ (Angiostrongylus cantonensis), in the southeastern United States.
This invasive parasite can be contracted by consuming tainted food, including fresh produce and escargots.

Notes:
The Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan introduced ‘CRIIIO 4 GOOD,’ a new set of online life skills learning modules aimed at promoting gender equality among both girls and boys. This initiative was unveiled in collaboration with the International Cricket Council, UNICEF, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Notes:
A 40-member taskforce comprising various Indian companies and startups has been formed to confront Google, particularly in regards to the Google Play Billing System (GPBS).
This is the first time such a taskforce has been constituted with the charter of deciding the course of action to be taken against Google Play.

Notes:
World Heart Day is an annual event, observed every year on 29th September. The day is celebrated by organizing various events globally to raise awareness about the heart disease and its preventive measures to manage the cardiovascular diseases.
This year, the theme of the ‘World Heart Day’ is ‘Use Heart, Know Heart’.

Notes:
Recently, Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA), India’s largest specialized green finance Non-Banking Finance Company, has received an upgrade from the ‘Schedule B’ category to the prestigious ‘Schedule A’ category among Central Public Sector Enterprises.
This elevation in status was formally enacted through an Office Memorandum issued by the Department of Public Enterprises, Ministry of Finance. The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy has officially confirmed this upgrade.

Notes:
Recently, the Intelligent Grievance Monitoring System (IGMS) 2.0 Public Grievance portal and Automated Analysis in Tree Dashboard portal were launched.
IIT Kanpur has developed the IGMS 2.0 Dashboard, following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with DARPG. This MoU was aimed at enhancing the DARPG Information Systems (CPGRAMS) by integrating Artificial Intelligence features.