Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2021

Notes:
India and Nepal have signed a MoU (memorandum of understanding), under which India would help Nepal in reconstruction of 14 cultural heritage and 103 health sector projects which were damaged during the 2015 earthquake. The total cost of these reconstruction is 420 crore Nepalese Rupees.

This is a part of India’s post-earthquake reconstruction package, under which India has committed a total grant of USD 250 million to Nepal.

Notes:
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav has virtually inaugurated the first functional smog tower in India at Anand Vihar, Delhi. A smog tower is a structure designed as large/medium scale air purifiers to reduce air pollution, usually by forcing the air through filters. The tower has been built by Tata Projects Limited with NBCC (India) Ltd. as the project management consultant.

Notes:
The Andhra Pradesh government has appointed Rajnish Kumar as its economic advisor. A former SBI chairman, Rajnish Kumar’s tenure in the cabinet rank position is for two years.

Notes:
El Salvador has become the first country to adopt bitcoin as legal tender, although it suffered teething problems when the government had to unplug a digital wallet to cope with demand. President Nayib Bukele, who pushed for adoption of the cryptocurrency, said using bitcoin will help Salvadorans save $400 million a year on commissions for remittances, while giving access to financial services to those with no bank account.

Notes:
The International Day of clean Air For Blue Skies was celebrated on September 7, 2021. The theme is “Healthy Air, Healthy Planet” which emphasizes the health aspects of air pollution, especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic. The day serves as a rallying call to action to align our efforts and claim our right to clean air. #HealthyAirHealthyPlanet. The day is facilitated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Notes:
Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, launched Vidyanjali Portal and several other initiatives in the education sector on September 7, 2021. Vidyanjali portal was launched to enable community or volunteers to contribute by connecting with the government and government-aided schools of their choice directly. He also addressed the inaugural conclave of ‘Shikshak Parv’ through video-conferencing. He launched the Indian Sign Language Dictionary (audio and text embedded sign language video for the hearing impaired, in conformity with Universal Design of Learning) and Talking Books (audio books for the visually impaired). School Quality Assurance and Assessment Framework of the Central Board of Secondary Education were also launched. PM also launched NISHTHA, a teachers’ training programme for NIPUN Bharat.

Notes:
SBM Bank has partnered with fintech player OneCard to launch a mobile-based credit card named ‘mobile-first.’ OneCard will leverage Visa’s technology and global acceptance in this co-branded credit card offering through an app. State Bank of Mauritus (SBM) was the first foreign bank to receive a banking license from the Reserve Bank of India.

Notes:
Bank of Baroda has topped the MeitY Digital Payment Scorecard for 2020-21 with a total of 86% marks on the scorecard. The scorecard ranks 44 banks (Public Sector Banks, Private Banks, Foreign Banks, Payments Banks, Small Finance Banks) on various parameters on the digital business.

Notes:
Uttarakhand Governor Baby Rani Maurya resigned on September 8, 2021, two years before completing her tenure. She tendered her resignation to President Ram Nath Kovind. She was sworn in as the governor of Uttarakhand on August 26, 2018.

Notes:
Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh, who retired as the Deputy Chief of Army, was appointed the Governor of Uttarakhand, a post which fell vacant after Baby Rani Maurya resigned from the post.