Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2021

Notes:

• India’s state-owned PSU – Coal India Limited (CIL) has commenced the process of retrofitting LNG kits in trucks engaged in transportation of coal.
• This move is aimed to reduce its carbon footprint and bring a positive impact on the environment.
• The company uses over 4 lakh kilolitres of diesel per annum, which costs about Rs.3500 crore

Notes:

• The Fukutoku-Okanoba volcano, is situated in Japan.
• It is located at about 80 feet below the sea, five kilometres north of Japan’s South Iwo Jima Island.
• As per the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the underwater volcano that exploded in the Pacific Ocean, mid-August, poses a risk to the passage of planes and ships.
• This is regarded as unusual as the eruptions from submarine volcanoes did not reach the height that the plume did.

Notes:

• India’s Ministry of Defence has signed a project agreement with the US Department of Defence for cooperation in the development of air-launched unmanned aerial vehicle (ALUAV).
• This Project Agreement for ALUAV is under the overall framework of the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI).
• It also includes the collaboration between Air Force Research Laboratory, Indian Air Force, and DRDO in the process of co-developing an ALUAV Prototype

Notes:
The bilateral exercise – AUSINDEX between Indian Navy and Royal Australian Navy is being held in Australia from September 6 to 10, 2021. The exercise will provide an opportunity for both Navies to further bolster inter-operability, gain from best practices and develop a common understanding of procedures for Maritime Security Operations. The two countries will also be holding their first “2+2″ Foreign and Defence Ministers meet in New Delhi.

Notes:
Tamil Nadu CM M.K Stalin has announced that Rs 5,000 each as a financial assistance will be paid to the artisans making Vinayaka statues. They will be gien this amount since the ban on public celebration of Vinayaka Chathurthi had affected 3,000 artisans.

Notes:
UCO Bank has partnered with Finwizard Technology, which runs Fisdom, to offer wealth management products and services via its mBanking Plus App. Under this collaboration, customers of UCO bank can make seamless investments in mutual funds via its mBanking Plus App. Kolkata-based UCO Bank is one of the leading public sector banks in India with over 3 crore customers Currently, the bank has around 22,000 employees and 3,069 pan India branches with overseas presence in Hong Kong, Singapore and Iran.

Notes:
Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Russia on cooperation in the field of Geosciences. MoU was signed between the Joint Stock Company Rosgeologia (State holding Company) of Russia and the Geological Survey of India (GSI), Ministry of Mines.

Notes:
Karnataka government has roped in Jana Small Finance Bank (Jana SFB) to build digital payment infrastructure to support its Namma Shaale Nanna Koduge (Our school, my contribution) initiative. The Namma Shaale Nanna Koduge software was launched on September 5 to provide accessibility to donors who wish to donate money to government schools in Karnataka.

Notes:
The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) has been adjudged the best higher educational institution in 2021 followed by Indian Institute of Science Bangalore (IISc) and IIT Bombay. The rankings were announced by education minister Dharmendra Pradhan as part of the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), an initiative of the government to rank top Indian institutions. Several key parameters, including research output, teaching learning environment, outreach and inclusivity, resource, graduate outcome, and perception, among others, were considered for preparing the exhaustive list.

Notes:
The government has constituted an eight-member panel for framing a new law for drugs, cosmetics and medical devices. The panel is being headed by Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr V G Somani. The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, regulates the import, manufacture, distribution and sale of drugs, cosmetics and medical devices. This Act is amended from time to time. The last amendment in the Act was made in 2008.