Current Affairs Quiz-September, 2020

Notes:
The Indian Civil & Administrative Services (Central) Association has been renamed as “IAS Association” recently.
The new name was unanimously cleared in the body’s Annual General Meeting there by dropping the reference to the ‘colonial-era’ ICS. Also, a new moto “Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam” meaning “Perfection in action is Yogah” has been chosen during the meeting.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently inaugurated the Patrika Gate in Jaipur through video conference.
This Iconic Gate has been built by the Patrika Group of Newspapers in Jaipur, Rajasthan. The Prime Minister Modi also released two books written by the Group Chairman during the virtual event. This cultural monument is expected to boost tourism in the region.

Notes:
The Chief Minister of Karnataka B.S. Yediyurappa has recently launched an Integrated Air ambulance service.
Being the first air ambulance from South India, it has German Isolation Pod to transport critical COVID-19 patients. It is developed by ICATT in coordination with an aviation technology firm. The service is expected to serve medical emergencies in spite of heavy road traffic.

Notes:
India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is representing India at the Foreign ministers Meet of the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) to be held at Moscow.
The meeting is hosted by Russian Foreign Minister. The foreign ministers of Russia, India and China (RIC) would hold a luncheon meeting on the side-lines of the SCO. India has been the fulltime member of SCO since 2017.

Notes:
Union Minster of Petroleum has stated that Five state run oil and natural gas PSUs will become corporate partners of the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
These PSUs would make financials contribution to ISA’s corpus fund. This announcement was made during the 1st World Solar Technology Summit organized by ISA. ONGC, IOCL, BPCL, HPCL and GAIL are the 5 PSUs.

Notes:
The Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas has recently dedicated 56 Compressed natural gas (CNG) stations spread across 13 states, to the nation.
He also said that the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) is working to launch the 11th City gas distribution (CGD) authorisation round. The regulator board gives licenses for Retail CNG to automobiles and Piped cooking gas to household kitchens.

Notes:
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat has stated that India’s Defence exports has grown by 700% from Rs 1521 crore in 2016-17 to Rs 10,745 crore in 2018-19.
Also, as of 2019, India is ranked 19th in the list of top Defence exporters in the world, which is an all-time high rank ever featured by India.

Notes:
The Government of Gujarat has announced the state’s first Heritage Tourism Policy. The policy permits use of historic buildings (pre-1950 historical buildings) such as heritage palaces and forts, as heritage hotels, heritage museums, heritage banquet halls and heritage restaurants etc.
Under the policy, the State Government will offer an aid of Rs. 5 – 10 crore for renovation of these heritage structures.

Notes:
Noted film actor and theatre artist Paresh Rawal has been appointed chairperson of National School of Drama (NSD).
The former BJP Member of Parliament, will succeed the present Chairman Arjun Deo Charan. Paresh Rawal, has been awarded with Padma Shri in 2014. The NSD is India’s premier institute for theatre students and is located at Delhi.

Notes:
The Pune based SII -Serum Institute of India has paused the clinical trial of COVID vaccine candidate. The vaccine is being developed by Oxford University’s Jenner Institute and Astra Zeneca.
Serum Institute has stopped the trial after a notice from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). The trials of COVID vaccine were stopped globally after one of the recipients in U.K. showed adverse symptoms.