Current Affairs Quiz-September, 2020

Notes:
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has issued a direction to Banks stating to refund charges collected by them on electronic transactions made by customers after January 1.
The CBDT has directed the Banks not to charge any fee for any transaction carried out through electronic modes like RuPay, BHIM – UPI, QR Code etc. Such practice by Banks is a breach of section 10A of Payment and Settlement Systems (PSS) Act and section 269SU of the IT Act.

Notes:
The CSIR’s Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) has developed the world’s largest ‘solar tree’, It is installed at the CSIR residential complex, Durgapur in West Bengal.
The solar tree is ergonomically designed to ensure maximum solar exposure of each solar photovoltaic panel. The tree has an annual capacity to generate 12,000-14,000 units of Power. There is a total of 35 Solar photovoltaic panels in each tree.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet has recently approved the new comprehensive Civil Services reforms programme named “Mission Karmayogi”.
The programme aims to create a ‘citizen centric civil service’, which focusses on behavioural change. It will be delivered by setting up an Integrated Government Online Training- iGOT Karmayogi Platform. A Public Human Resources Council under the Prime Minister, will monitor the programme.

Notes:
According to an annual report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), around 1.39 lakh people died by suicide and 4.21 lakh people were killed in accidents in India last year.
The report also noted that traffic accidents were the single biggest contributor to accidental deaths which amounted to 43% of all fatalities.

Notes:
A relatively low concentration of Ozone over Guwahati has been discovered by the Scientists at the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital.
ARIES is an autonomous research institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST). The team has evaluated the near surface ozone in the Brahmaputra River Valley (BRV) and found the Ozone variation in Guwahati, compared to the other urban locations in India.

Notes:
Researchers at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) have developed a theragnostic (diagnostic therapy) drug candidate for lung cancer.
JNCASR is an autonomous institute under the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Govt. of India. Lung cancer is one of the most common cause of cancer related death and is tough to detect at early stages thereby making it difficult to treat.

Notes:
The Vodafone Idea Limited has revealed its new integrated brand identity “VI” (read as ‘We’), using just the initials of both Vodafone and Idea.
The new brand name has been launched after 2 years since the merger of Vodafone and Idea took place. The company has also revealed a reward programme named ‘Happy Surprises’. The Supreme Court has given telecom companies 10 years to pay adjusted gross revenue dues (AGR) dues.

Notes:
Iran now has more than 10 times the amount of enriched uranium permitted under an international agreement, the UN’s nuclear regulator said.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has stated that Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile had reached 2,105kg. This stock is nearly 10 times more than the permissible level under International Nuclear Accord signed by Iran, China, France, Germany, Russia, the UK and the US in 2015.

Notes:
The International Literacy Day was observed on September 8 every year, across the world. The first International Literacy Day was declared at the UNESCO General Conference in 1966.
The day aims to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals and communities around the world. The theme of this year’s International Day focusses on “Literacy teaching and learning in the Covid-19 crisis and beyond.”

Notes:
UNICEF is leading in efforts to procure and supply COVID-19 vaccines. This could be the world’s largest and fastest ever procurement and supply of vaccines.
In collaboration with Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), UNICEF is set in its efforts to procure and supply doses of COVID-19 vaccines for 92 low and lower middle-income countries.