Current Affairs Quiz-September, 2020

Notes:
Researchers at CSIR’s Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) have developed solar based spray systems to tackle water crisis in agriculture.
Two variants of the equipment have been developed – one for “marginal famers” and other for “small farmers”. These sprayers are equipped with two separate tanks, flow control and pressure regulator to handle different water requirements of the crops.

Notes:
The Kaziranga National Park in Assam, which is home to the Asiatic one-horned rhinos, is to be expanded by 3,053 hectares.
The Government of Assam has issued a notification approving 7th, 8th and 9th addition to the National Park. These additional areas include encroachment-evicted areas at riverine islands that were vulnerable to encroachment.

Notes:
Kesavananda Bharati, who was a petitioner of the landmark Supreme Court judgement on basic structure of the Constitution in 1973, has recently passed away.
He was the head of a Mutt at Kasaragod in Kerala, and had moved the Supreme Court challenging the Kerala government’s land reforms Act of 1969. Supreme Court ruled that the basic structure of the Constitution is unbreakable and cannot be amended by Parliament.

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:
The Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology (CIPET) is to establish two new Centres for skilling and technical support at Bhagalpur and Varanasi.
CIPET is an autonomous research and training institution under the Chemicals and Fertilisers Ministry. Around 1,000 youths will be trained in each centre every year through Diploma and Skill development programmes for employment in petrochemicals and allied industries.

Notes:
Recently National Statistical Office (NSO) has released a report on ‘Household Social Consumption: Education in India’ as part of 75th round of National Sample Survey.
As per the report, Kerala ranks No.1 in literacy with 96.2% literacy rate. It is followed by Delhi with 88.7% and Uttarakhand with 87.6%. Andhra Pradesh featured at the bottom with a rate of 66.4%.

Notes:
The Prime Minister is to launch a new platform for managing Livestock named as e-Gopala App, which will serve as a breed improvement marketplace.
The portal also aims to provide information on managing livestock including buying and selling of germplasm of livestock. It also ensures Quality breeding services for livestock, Animal nutrition and traditional medical treatment. It also sends alerts to remind vaccination and calving.

Notes:
Markets regulator SEBI has added National Stock Exchange (NSE) to the list of entities that can carry out e-KYC Aadhaar authentication.
Earlier in May 2020, SEBI had rolled out a list of 8 entities that permitted to undertake e-KYC (Electronic-Know Your Customer) Aadhaar authentication. SEBI has stated that NSE can undertake Aadhaar authentication service of the UIDAI subject to compliance certain terms and conditions.

Notes:
Azerbaijan has reduced its daily oil production by 133,400 barrels in August, thereby over fulfilling its production reduction obligations under OPEC+ output cuts deal.
As per the OPEC + deal, Azerbaijan is obligated to decrease its daily oil production by 131,000 barrels from August and December, whereas the country has decreased the production levels to 133,400 barrels.

Notes:
India and China have recently agreed on five points regarding the situation on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
On the side lines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet in Moscow, the External affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi had strategic talks which focussed on Disengagement of troops and easing of tensions.